RPHC M5s vs Camberley & Farnborough 3s Away

A dalliance down the M3 via the sunlight uplands of the post-apocalyptic wasteland that is J10 of the M25 awaited the 5s this week. Unless, that is you were in a far more sensibly driven car that pootled its way through the Surrey Hills….

Camberley Community Sports Centre at the Kings International School was our destination, a cracking pitch – another antithesis to our usual venue – fast and full of bounce.

Fast and full of bounce is how we like to play but with just 11 brave souls to play out the full 70 minutes, managing effort was the order of the day.

We were, unusually, a little understaffed in the defensive department. Mark PM was our stalwart keeper, Paul V was at centre back, Mike J on the right and the player to whom we owe a great deal of thanks for being the most staggeringly capable all-rounder, James C took up the left back role this week.

Matt S, Richard, Flynn and Monty were our left to right wing back and screen combo with Pankaj in the attacking midfield role. This meant we had a very attacking midfield indeed. Play high, press them, score lots of goals – simple. This would lead to some opportunities for our opponents to counter….

… So Mark spent most of the game (not unjustifiably) voicing his concerns (in his inimitable style) about the apparent lack of adequate marking… this was mostly directed to his proxy on pitch management team – PV. Paul duly responded and in doing so they created a sort of feedback loop for most of the game in which they politely exchanged their views and ignored each other. The bonus being that the rest of the back line and midfield escaped a bollocking for the duration…

… Well apart from Ben, but thankfully Mark only cottoned on to James’ actual name after some time by which point he had his opponent well and truly in his pocket.

Our objective of scoring more goals than our opponent was proving tricky – not a reflection of the extraordinary efforts of our striking duo – Kalyan and Snowy. The build up play was good, if a little slow off the mark, and we were well and truly dominating territory and possession. Monty was making much mischief in close quarters down the right, Kalyan too was evading tackle after tackle and Snowy was creating chances for himself and others, right the way across the D. Richard and Pankaj were rifling balls right the way across the face and Matt was bulldozing his way down the left wing, regularly finding Kal or driving into create chances for himself.

We just couldn’t put the ball into the goal. The short corner tally was approaching double figures, multiple variations were attempted and numerous near misses acquired. Credit to the Camberley keeper who was having an excellent game – especially in the short-range scrambles.

Then Camberley scored.

A 16 led to three or four sharp passes and Priory didn’t react as they should. Mark in a justifiable “I told you so” moment pointed out that Paul and Mike were now marking 4 players and the decision as to what to do was a tricky one. Camberley played the right passes and slotted away a simple chance at the near post.

1-0 down at half time.

Patience, back yourselves the themes of the half-time talk, but the key message came from Snowy. Up the tempo. Don’t let them get set, self-pass, get the ball moving. We listened…

… And for the first ten minutes we acted on the advice with a gusto bordering on manic… A Hail Mary effort meant that at least seven of our number were regularly on the opposition 23… this meant the counter attacks were rather dangerous. Ten minutes of frantic defensive action kept them at bay.

The Captain, in particular, now rueing the lack of subs - things to communicate, no breath with which to do it. Eventually, supported by his Vice-Captain, a few instructions were issued, reminders that we didn’t need to be everyone, everywhere all at once and that we did retain defensive responsibilities in our midfield roles… The nasty idea of swapping the wing backs with the full backs to remind them of this requirement was no longer needed…

The right balance of urgency and calm restored, we simply took control. In the Camberley half, Mike and Monty were unhesitant on sideline balls and free hits – self, pass, run at them, quick slip or beat the player – then go again. This and better use of the width allowed Monty to create the opportunity that secured the equaliser. Link up play with Flynn, a drive on the baseline and (yet another) beautiful ball across the P-Spot. A busy goal mouth with defensive and attacking sticks – Kal and Pankaj hunting down the breakthrough but it was Snowy with shark like instincts that secured it. 1-1.

Oh we can score here. Thank God. Time to create more chances. Splendid aerial work from Richard was generating them – especially for Kalyan who was enjoying the bounce in the pitch and making his defensive opponents look a tad ridiculous.

Down at ground level, Richard and Pankaj were also marshalling forward play splendidly, more short corners were won, and more opportunities generated by back-to-back long corners. Pankaj was finding and using the space and time created by the upped tempo and delivering some absolutely sublime passes. One in particular sticks in my mind where he saw Snowy a good half-away and just delivered the ball to the end of his stick with a casual aplomb. This was just one example among many.

Flynn’s constant desire for the ball in the middle of the park and his extraordinary stamina was now being supported by some slick, rapid passing, courtesy of his midfield and defensive colleagues.

One such episode created our second goal – a sideline self pass from Mike J, a bellowed call from Flynn and a sharp delivery to him. He dismissed one tackle and slipped the ball to Monty who lined up on his reverse and fired a shot off – the keeper was once again equal to it but this time the ball deflected down, not quite under his pads.

Snowy was on it, I think he would have carried the keeper with the ball into the goal if necessary, but sharp work with the stick was sufficient. 20 goals for the season in half that number of appearances – cracking stuff!

We continued to dominate for the remainder. James making long, marauding runs from his left back starting position and Matt S creating several chances – one in particular for himself. Following a jinking run and dismissing multiple challenges he had a crack on goal from the top of the D – just wide of the left post.

Whilst we were very much in the attack for the majority of the game, I don’t want to downplay the defensive efforts of the backline. Camberley did counter effectively but the telepathic understanding that developed between James, Paul and Mike meant there was constant cover – that and the work rates of Flynn and Richard in particular. We didn’t concede a single short corner and Mark didn’t touch the ball. Distribution out from the back was solid too, Paul was in fine form delivering sharp passes from defensive 16s and we largely avoided our traditional offer at least one up to the oppo centre forward gambit.

The final whistle came with the award of a Short Corner to us – everyone up, a good effort but battered away by a Camberley defender.

A final victory for 11 men in a tricky away game. A fantastic effort, played in the right spirit with a mixture of youth and skill and… let’s call it experience and guile ?.

Numerous nominations for both awards this week – special mentions to Pankaj and to Paul for stand out performances but man of the match this week is split between our middle of the park screening dynamos – Richard and Flynn, great determined work for the full 70!

Strong champagne nomination for the goal scoring machine that is Snowy but it was those jinking runs and deft hands that sees the fizz going to Kalyan this week – very well done. (Though I note the excellent nomination for MPM for failing to make contact with the ball all game and the nomination for the oppo captain for celebrating their goal like he was in a champion’s league final).

That’s it for the 2023/24 season. A big thank you to all of our supporters, family members, friends, chauffeurs and all round superheroes.

Thank you too to our umpires, those of you who despite injury have helped manage and organise subs (thanks especially to Doc!), all of the club volunteers who make all of our fixtures happen, a big thank you to Richard for being a thoroughly splendid (and very tolerant!) Vice-Captain but most of all, thank you to all of you that have played.

As it always should be (as in the rest of life in my view) – it’s been a great laugh.

Keep an eye out for WhatsApp invites to the Summer Hockey group and as we approach it, messages to confirm arrangements for next season.

Looking forward to seeing several of you at the Dinner & Dance, failing that for some summer hockey and / or in any local hostelries of your choice – summer well all!

MJ