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| Team: | Mens 5th |
| Date: | Sat. 6th Feb. 2010 |
| Start Time: | 13:30 |
| Opposition: | University of Kent 2nd |
| Score: | 4 - 4 Draw |
| Scorers: | Richard Russell, Mitch Whale, Graham Harvey, Daljinder Cheema |
Match Report:
You work all week, working ya nuts off, looking forward to a game of hockey at the weekend, to let go all that steam and aggression, earn ya Saturday night take-away, but sometimes the game on a Saturday can be a damp squib. But not this time!!
Unbeaten, league leaders University of Kent visited Holcombe Park, looking to prove they are worthy leaders, against a Holcombe side who had won every league match at home this season. And what a cracker of a match this was. Some brilliant hockey, superbly umpired, played in a great spirit, and lots of goals.
Holcombe welcomed back Ali “Chopper” Curtis after his lumberjack holiday in Canada, plus 5th XI rejects, Geoff Larney, and Adam Williams. The game started off at a fast and furious pace. Uni of Kent looking to settle the game early with their swift passing game. They controlled the opening 10 minutes, pinning Holcombe in, but the defence was rock solid, and Josh Stubbings making some good saves.
Holcs’ though were looking dangerous when in possession due to the speed of Graham Harvey, man of the match Adam Sanders, and Daljinder Cheema showing off some neat stick skills. After 15 minutes Richard Russell made an impact on the game. Firstly he won a short-corner, from which he scored to put Holcombe 1-0 up, slightly against the run of play. Then conceded a penalty flick, then his defensive mistake gifted Uni of Kent a 2-1 lead.
But the spirit of the side kept going. This was shown when Sanders didn’t give up a lost cause, his hassling, brought an error from the Uni of Kent defender, and he laid the ball off to Harvey to equalize. Just before half-time, Holcs went into the lead 3-2, when a cross from the right was touched on by skipper Brian Field, and helped into the goal by Mitch Whale.
The second half was a very open game, with both sides pressing for the next crucial goal. Frank McGregor had a storming game in defence, plus Harmun Plaha’s endless running, Larney and Williams industrious and energetic in midfield. Disaster struck 15 minutes from the end when an uncharacteristic error from Curtis gifted another goal to Uni of Kent 3-3. The visitors then pressed, and big credit to Curtis who didn’t let his head drop, and played like a man possessed with some superb tackling, thwarting every Uni of Kent attack.
With time ticking away, both teams probably were settling for a draw, but when Daljinder Cheema put Holcs 4-3 up from another short-corner with 3 minutes to go, Holcs were on cause for a famous win. But credit to Uni of Kent, with their unbeaten record under threat, they attacked and attacked, Holcombe couldn’t quite hold out, and they equalized with 30 seconds remaining.
Both teams, knackered, retired to the bar, reflecting on a fantastic match, wishing that games were like that every week. So after 2 draws in a row, Holcs will be looking forward to getting back to winning ways in their next clash, a local derby, away at Gillingham Anchorians.
