Match Report : Greg Wildisen
Result : Southgate 4 – 2 WH&E 1
Goals : Shami x 2 | Biffi x 1 | Wildisen x 1
Bar a few new recruits, this was a Flagons side reminiscent of yester year. Rolling out the Titans oldies whose game against Spencer had been cancelled late in the day, providing an opening to play yet again under the beloved Flagons name.
What had promised to be a very wet outing proved surprisingly dry and for some parts even sunny! So much so that when the whistle for the previous game blew full time, the alert oppo scrambled for the left side of the field to take advantage of having us face the sinking sun in the first half. Our warm up proved a little lack lustre and Biffi soon got the team engaged with a quick game of ‘no rules’ to get the Flagons fired up for the start.
Sadly the oppo must have used an even more inspiring technique and they leapt out of the starting gate and onto the score sheet in matter of a few minutes. They were fast, moving the ball well, and we struggled to gain possession or make any real impact for the first 10 minutes. However when we did get the ball up front we looked threatening and secured a short corner that after a clever zig zag zig zag between Jat and Biffi saw Biffi sweep it into the back of the net.
We then started to find our stride and took control of the centre with strong performances from Brian and Will in the centre supported by Woody and the back line defence of Duncan, Biffi, Lo and Toby making life hard for the oppo. Our attack worked well down the flanks and a lovely move saw the ball come to Shami who expertly dinked it over the prostrate goalie. Things were looking good and another well taken short corner had the ball once again at Shami’s stick and this time he dispatched it cleverly top right. The opposition also had a decent number of chances from close quarters, but Hadden saw them off, time and again demonstrating nimble foot movement and a steely doggedness to deny them a comeback. Half time, 3-1 up and the whole team was looking forward to a breather.
Jat led the half time talk suggesting more attack down the wings and treasuring possession. Some things never change, brings back memories of Flagons half time team talks for the past X years (you fill in the number!) But the talk worked. Although the opposition were younger and fitter, we kept our heads, moved the ball around well and worked hard at not giving away possession. Even a second half second goal by the oppo didn’t get our heads down. We injected some youth speed of our own through Alex and Alastair who created turn overs and frustrated the oppo. We fought on and scrambled another goal from a short corner and took back a more comfortable 2 goal lead. Both sides could have scored more and we were unlucky to have a brilliant Randal / Alex combination goal dismissed for back of the stick – apparently self-confessed, although it seemed by the oppo rather then us!! Not sure where that appears in the rule book but even so, we saw out the game and settled for a respectable 4-2 win.
Great game, a real team effort and a wonderful opportunity for Titans players to relive glory Flagons days – no cards shown. Many thanks for a great afternoon’s hockey.
Team Sheet :
Mike Hadden
Jatin Patel
Laurence Taylor
Toby Munyard
Nick Wood
Greg Wildisen
Biffi
Brian Cade
Shamit Shukla
Duncan Trathen
Alex Hyer
Randall Hyer
Will Hargrove
Alastair Whatley