Match Reports For Saturday 22nd October Season 2005 - 2006

Mens 1st XI

Staines were looking to move into second place in the table with a win over newly promoted Blackheath, however it was not to be as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat in a tough game.

Staines started brightly and moved the ball around well against a disciplined Blackheath defence but could not find a way through. It was Blackheath who found the net first when one of there skillful forwards broke free of the Staines defence to slot home slightly against the run of play. This did not deter Staines and with good defending by Gary Kemish and Liam Greene the midfield found some rhythm and chances were created but again not converted.

The second half was a similar story to the first with Staines having the best of the exchanges but finding themselves letting in another goal on the breakaway. at 2-0 down Staines pushed further forward looking for goals, this at times left them exposed to the pacy Blackheath forwards but they could not score again. In fact it was Staines skipper James Chapman who got the goal when he received the ball outside the circle, beat three defenders and then rifled his shot back across the keeper in to the corner of the net.

This reduced the defecit but unfortunately Staines could not grab an equaliser and they slip to mid table with a tough away game at Tulse Hill and Dulwich next saturday.

On sunday Staines faced Premiership side East Grinstead in the cup and ran out gallant losers 9-2.

Staines started the game strongly taking the lead after 2 minutes when Rich Cardigan deflected in a hard cross from the left wing, however the sign of things to come was when East Grinstead won the first penalty corner of the game and the ball was fired into the top corner at some pace! With East Grinstead moving the ball around nicely, Staines defended well but the pressure told and at half time Staines were 4-1 down.

The second half carried on in a similar vein with Staines defending well and trying to attack East Grinstead on the break, soon E.G increased their lead with another penalty corner, but Staines did not let their heads drop and Rich Cardigan bagged his second of the game deceiving the keeper with a powerful flick. At 5-2 Staines had some hope but tired legs and a strong E.G penalty corner routine meant that goals were conceded at regular intervals during the last ten minutes and E.G ran out comfortable 9-2 winners.

Mens 2nd XI

Mens 3rd XI

Mens 4th XI

Mens 5th XI

With almost a sleep in this week with a 10:00 meet and a 12:00 PB things looked splendid.

With a call from the opo at 9:30 asking if we could play in Blue cause their black strip was 50 miles away getting washed I felt that the day was probably not going as well as was to be expected. Luckily the chaps, in their wisdom, turned up with white and blues so we were fixed no matter what the outcome (unless the opo decided to play in blue and white!)

With young Chappers, this week’s 5th team newB, sleeping well into past the hour of reckoning and hereby named either Kermit or one of his other stuffed, hand manipulated, fluffy chums and needing to be picked up from his death bed at home we set of for the darkest reaches of Croydon well half past the point in time where our nether regions started to twitch.

Then there came a call from the back seat – I’ve forgotten to put my other sock on – I’ve got two on one foot but only one on the other!!?!! Twas almost too much – was Chappers going to take one off to provide balance (perhaps he would run round in circles) or was he going to use the multicolour trick and pretend to be two halves of two different players? With similar disparaging comments we laughed ourselves to the back of a very, very, very, very …… long queue on our local M25 car park.

Couple of calls to Don K who had left a tick tock or two before us and we had, yet another, cunning game plan - get off at J9 and go cross country. Sounded splendid, Epsom is so lovely in the Autumnal sunshine and Sutton! to describe it in the first flushes of Winter could not capture the magnificence and colour of the magical metropolis of Sutton.

With every Sunday driver deciding to set out a day earlier than normal and thinking that the back road to the big C was the most splendid place to go slow on the trip felt like it was going to take for ever – and it did.

Bang at the top of the morn we got to the pitch and found we were not the last car there. The Murffit Man and Windy Millar had made it successfully but surprise, surprise Smarty, in his yellow lava lamp, was still on the M25 and even Don K managed to come in after us (he had a 20 min head start – the Don must be slipping).

After we attained Fun time Frankie, garbed him in his shields of steel and persuaded him to don his shiny helmet of unstopability we decided that with no sign of the Yellow glow of Smarty’s arrival that starting with 10 at 19 mins late sounded like a super idea.

Lets get Ready to Ruuuuuuuummmmmmmmble!

Peep - We scored first (just before Smarty rolled up and spoiled the “run around like headless chickens formation” by making it 11 men) and then they scored one back which made it 1-1. Were we playing better with 10? Mmmmmmm we’ll never know!

Lots of running and passing and hockey type stuff followed with eventually a 2’nd goal for the boys in blue (yes – they played in White and we played in blue – I know you were all desperate to find out) so that made it 2-1 to us.

A cataclysmic peep from the Ump and…….… well ruffle my quilt! It was 2-1 to us – absolutely top job!

Nice bunch of players - the Old Mid drifts – we haven’t had such a tough game for yonks and everybody seemed suitably knackered after such a spiffing run around.

Nice bloke John, the opo captain, sorted out the friendly banter relating to a member of the feline family which emanated fro their number 7 (sticks and stones ……...) and most of our chaps made it back to theirs for grub up and a chat so a result all round. Most of their chaps (apart from nice bloke John) stayed to watch their 1’s lose.

We, on the other hand, had to pop Chappers, Luco Zade and Diago straight back for a friendly at Feltham against the Red hordes (Diago fancied a roll out in his Sumo suit) so we couldn’t avail ourselves of the OMW hospitality – ne’r mind - our historic Sausage, Chip and Bean ensemble awaits them après the New Year so come on down.

Once again it was nice talking to you all but it’s time to wish you all a happy week and we’ll report in, same time, same place next week for the next thrilling instalment of the Blue campaign – win or lose we’ll talk crap!. We have a morning off with our first game in a row at home and will be welcoming the Suns of Bury to our establishment for Sausage Chips and Beans and a smattering of Hockey in between.

Gordy,

XX

P.S. The ball has to pass over the line, all the way across, not just on the line.

Mens 6th XI

Mens 7th XI

Mens Centurions

Ladies 1st XI

With a week off from League duty, Staines entertained B H & E from South Div 2 at Worple Road on Saturday. Although playing in a division below the visitors had several players with National League experience and Staines were without 5 of their regular squad. This gave coach Seamus O'Connell the opportunity to look at a few more of his squad and has subsequently been left with the selection nightmare all coaches enjoy.

The home side were ahead within 4 minutes when Kerry Maskery finished a neat move and Jo Ive added a second shortly after. Suki Gilliland was impressing on the left of midfield with her tireless running and it was her industrious play that brought the penalty corner from which Ive scored her second. The right hand side of Kate McClean,Claire Woods and Alex Teasdale were a constant threat and the visitors were grateful to only be 3-0 down at the interval.

The second half was to see man-of-the-match Teasdale take centre stage as she grabbed a hat trick of open play goals, all impressive finishes from great moves, inside 20 minutes. Sue O'Connell scored from a penalty corner in that period as the visitors heads finally dropped having shown great resistance. Suzi Hardingham scored her first of the season for goal number 8 and Jo Ive completed her well deserved hat trick with 2 minutes to go.

Staines return to their League programme this Saturday as they travel to Reading hoping to continue their 100% start to the season. They will welcome back Mel Martell,Ros Suter,Alex Stacey and Ruth Hine but will still be without Sarah Chandler and Alex Teasdale.

Ladies 2nd XI

With Coach Foster off farming in Purley with the mens 2s, and Cap'n Louie sidelined, having somehow managed to rip her triceps pushing tennis balls it was down to Vice-Capt Flint to lead the ladies out against the extremely young 'Old' Georgians, currently second in Surrey League Div 2.

Staines have got into the habit of bad starts and did it again, under pressure on a few occasions before their forward slotted home for 1-0. The blues didn't like it.

With Baldie leading the line superbly, the revival began. Tinks and her defensive crew were mopping up everything the young whipper snappers could muster and Baldie, Serena, and stand-in forward Super-Ali were giving the Georgians back line a battering at the other end. Their keeper saved several before the good work paid off as Baldie scored - the keeper on the floor after saving the first shot, Baldie on hand again to fire it in with her reverse. That rallied the troops.

The Ladies weren't playing great hockey and effort was a bit lagging at the point when we realised Coach had arrived, but announcing his arrival in customary fashion. "Ruth, are you OK?"; "Yep, fine"; "Well fu**ing start running about a bit more, then...". Nice!

Hels Fish was working well down the right, a few shorties were won and we went close, especially missing the deflection on a post from Erol's great strike. Their keeper got down well to shots from Baldie and Serena, and, having created the space, Ruth's undercut went just wide of the post.

With time ticking down to half time, a PC was won. Out to Ali, switched right, first shot saved, but Cap'n Flint was on hand for the rebound to coolly lift it over all and sundry on the line for a 2-1 lead.

Oli managed a couple of sentences before Coach "I'm not going to say anything at half-time" Duncan stepped in "Well OK I lied I am going to say something". The guilty knew who they were for dribbling up their a**e. Sharp passing was required to ping it round those youngsters.

The second half was marginally better, but again Tinks was required to put her body on the line taking child and ball, and her defence, in particular Ema, Erol and Ali, always seemed to be first to mop up and crack away the rebounds. They had a nippy right attacking midfielder but Clare kept her quiet for most of the game, with Oli and Erol mopping well if required.

But early on, great work down the right saw Hels end up in space to fire in a cross - amidst screams of 'pull it back' and 'top D'!!, Hels proceeded to do neither, but brilliantly instead pick out Yvonne coming in far post to first time it home like a rocket into the backboards. 3-1.

Don't think the rest of the game was too memorable, certainly there was no more scoring - our solid defence saving the day, and their keeper on form. Oh and also, Tinks expressed her gratitude to that left hand post - and the fact that the rebound came back so fast it hit the OG's forward on the back of her stick for a 16. Quality.

Ah - the umpire - took exception to both the opposition coach for disputing a decision where she was clearly wrong (Duncan was good this week), and Baldie 'Number 11, come here...'.

So we've played well and won well (St Albans), played well except for 2 mins and dominated and lost (Southgate), played well for 2/3 of a game and hung on to win (Winchmore Hill & Enfield), and played badly and won (Old Georgians). Good signs for the ladies, but it will need to be a different level next week, back to the League and Harrrow away... Bring it on...

MOM was close but went to Tinks by a whisker from Baldie, with Yvonne, Hels, Clare, and Oli all getting nominations.

DOD to Baldie for her extraordinary ability to ingratiate herself with umpires (and generally get away with it... !)

Ladies 3rd XI

An early home game for the ladies this week, which nearly didn't get started due to Jo " I'm no lock" Smith thinking that the pitch was locked when to all else present it was quite obvious that it wasn't....

Staines played with ten players for the majority of the first half (until super sub Sam arrived early for her game - thanks!!) and there was a little confusion at times - were we marking or doing the press? Let's face it - the ladies were trying a little bit of both! Even our sweeper Burkie was marking?! We conceded a goal early on but did we let that get us down? Nooooooo!!

Ju and Lizzy worked hard up front and finally managed to slot one away! Hurrah and our heads were up! With further encouragement and great team work especially by the midfield of Jeanette, Linda and Debs/Michelle we managed to keep the ball in the OG's D and ensure that we converted the chances. Lizzy assisted Juliet once more and managed to score herself! She was like a tenacious little terrior to their defence, picking up nigh on every ball from their 16's - if it did get past her then Linda or Jana were ably picking them up! Great work from Staines meant that we went into the half time break 3-1 up! Duncan was able to step in and offer his advice which ensured that we didn't play so much like headless chickens! We spaced out the balls, particularly round the back and were able to go into the second half much more confident. Ju was still hankering after another goal to make it a birthday hat-trick and boy she did! She converted a penalty corner assisted by Jeanette to make it a jug! Cheers Juju!!

The second half was harder work for Staines - but we proved that we were the best a man can get by slotting another away - well done Linda! The game finished 5-1 and we knew we deserved it!! Special mention must go to our Doris captain Jeanette for commenting on Ju's tan in the middle of the press! Smithy nearly got it for thinking we were locked out of the pitch - are you sure those contacts are in properly?! Player of the match was the birthday girl herself - Juliet for getting the birthday hat-trick! Lizzy was snapping close at her heels though! Well done Staines, a much needed confidence boost for next week...!!

Many thanks to our umpire – Oli for getting up so darn early to umpire us! Thanks!!

Ladies 4th XI

Ladies 5th XI

On 22nd October, the Staines Ladies 5th VII played Old Georgians at home. It was not a promising start as OG scored early on. However, even with one player down (Emma Crawley took a dive, securing her the title of Doris of the Day), Staines upped their game and the half time score was 1-0. Emma's was not the only injury, as Claire Knight took a dive, and Kate in goal wiped out an opposing forward, who the had to be carried off the pitch. (Kate claims it was an accident...)
The second half, now with a full team, was played much better, with goals being scored by Laura Scott and Charlotte Ellison. Man of the Match was given to Hazel Sloan. Everyone played excellently, and it proved to be a great, if not exausting game.