Match Reports For Saturday 12th November Season 2005 - 2006
Mens 1st XI
Mens 2nd XI
Mens 3rd XI
Mens 4th XI
Mens 5th XI
Mens 6th XI
Mens 7th XI
Mens Centurions
Ladies 1st XI
THE OXFORD ROVER
(As based on the Irish classic "The Wild Rover" and feel free to sing-along.
We are also dedicating this little number to Adam, P and baby Luke)
We went to Rover Oxford for the first time this year
And we spent all our money on a rabbit and beer
But now we're returning with goals in great store
We never will play badly at Rover no more
Chorus
And it's no, nay, never
No, nay, never, no more,
We'll be without a rabbit,
No never, no more
We went to an astro Alex T used to frequent
And sitting in a cafe, Shay's team talk was spent
He asked us to do slagging, but we answered him "Nay.
Never mind Mellie's craic, Shay you're Doris today!"
Chorus
And it's no, nay, never
No, nay, never, no more,
"Slagging" on a pitch??,
No never, no more
We got to the pitch, the umpire tossed some gold
"Tails", KK said and for once won as it rolled.
She said "Now girlies let's try our best,
Secret Santa in two weeks. No time to rest!"
Chorus
And it's no, nay, never
No, nay, never, no more,
Santa in December,
No never, no more
Bambi was back and her skills were bright
Around the keeper and a goal, what delight!
Now it was time for Audrey to score a stroke
And Snatch of the Match, great defence, no joke!
Chorus
And it's no, nay, never
No, nay, never, no more,
Aunty Audrey remember,
No never, no more
Then Alex lobbed a third, well done
Off to an Oxford pub, Staines had won
Back home in Daddy Wagon, never before
Bid for PTOTY, a rabbit and taxi, say no more!!
Chorus
And it's no, nay, never
No, nay, never, no more,
Joint top with Woking,
No never, no more
or
It was a return to winning ways on Saturday for Staines as they overcame a very competent Rover Oxford team,who started the day 3 points behind League leaders Staines in 3rd place.It was anything but a spectacular performance from the Worple Road outfit, but their desire to win once again proved decisive. It was a welcome return from injury for Ros Suter as she dispossesed the Rover Oxford sweeper in the 15th minute to go on and slot home past the advancing 'keeper for the opening goal. It was end to end hockey and the visitors were dependant on the defending of Ruth Hine and the 'keeping of Maggie Owens to maintain their lead. At the other end Jo Ive and Alex Teasdale both forced fine saves from the Oxford 'keeper.
Staines once again took a grip of midfield in the 2nd half and built upon a period of dominance for the early stages. Pressure finally told as Captain Kate McClean was harshly fouled as she approached goal following a mazy run to earn a penalty stroke. Ruth Hine calmly stepped forward to slot home. A slight change in tactics made life difficult for the home side to penetrate the Staines defence further and with only minutes remaining, Alex Stacey added a third from a penalty corner.
Although a slightly flattering scoreline Staines' win had another bonus as second placed Woking slipped up, losing 3-2 at 4th placed Epsom. Staines entertain Woking this week at Worple Road (1pm push back) in their penultimate game before the Christmas break. With several ex-National League players in their team, Woking are sure to be a difficult team to beat, having only conceeded 6 goals so far in their 7 games played, a feat only matched by Staines. It looks like all to play for this Saturday.
Ladies 2nd XI
Ladies 3rd XI
The day started off with some fantastic news - congratulations to Coach Sticky and the lovely P on the arrival of little Luke Robert!!
Staines assembled at Feltham on a brisk Saturday morning and the ladies were prepared to be flexible in their playing - our LM nearly ended up umpiring due to Heather being held up in traffic!! Thankfully Heather arrived in the nick of time and the ladies started with gusto!
Staines were dominant in the first half but somehow still managed to go a goal down - as did our heads. The ladies were grateful for the subs as we ran our little legs off - particularly in the midfield! Everyone played outstandingly - Lou and Ingrid were dominant and strong as ever at the back - as was Burkie who seemed to be going for some kind of award (again!) "most positions played in one game"! Juliet scored our first goal and Staines seemed a little stonger.... only to let one past again! Despite being in Winchmore's D for a huge amount of time!!
Then, with some blooming hard work came...............quite possiby................. THE GOAL OF THE SEASON!! Smithy drilled the ball into the D and there was a mad scrabble..... Juliet stepped forward and quite simply roofed that ball into the goal....!! We knew after this goal that we could win this!!
Super-sub Serena showed her magic touch and managed to convert another strong ball into the D - ably worked up the wings by storming teamwork by midfield ad defence - GOAL!!
Staines continued to work hard but were unable to convert chances!! Doh!!!
Everyone played really well - with Juliet just snatching man of the match past Serena! Other votes went to Debs, Lauren, Jeanette, Ingrid and Kerry! However, Doris votes were thin on the ground with a member of the oppo getting it for sliding down in the leaves on the side of the pitch....! Lizzie did have a strop at the oppo and Lauren was caught back-chatting Burkie and Skids (Lozza - what have I taught you..?)
Anyway - onwards and upwards to next weeks game!! Bring it on!!
Ladies 4th XI
It wasn’t a great start to the day – too early, too many drinks the night before (especially for CJ & Anika), too far to go to play hockey to Paddington.
Viks had the right idea, she was going to stay in bed. In fact she was still there when we called her from the club car park to say we were leaving and if she wanted to come play she’d have to find her own way there. Yes Vicky, you thought the email said 9.45 meet – but everyone else managed to read the horrible truth of an 8.45 meet! – So, no prizes for who gets DOD which was once again determined before we even played the game!
CJ and Anika were on the desperate hunt for a bacon sandwich…sausage sandwich … McDonalds … anything. But apparently we’re a team of honed athletes these days so I got a swig of Lucozade and it was straight into one of Wendy’s warm ups.
In normal circumstances what followed next would have got Wendy DOD. After thoroughly tiring us out in warm up and going through the all important stretches, Wendy managed to pull a muscle in the first ten mins (ish). We decided Viks still had it for DOD though, but to her credit she did manage to arrive not more than a few mins after us…. Which raises two questions – how fast was she driving? And is she the worlds fastest girl in the shower? Maybe she didn’t have one? hhhmmmmm.
Anyway, I’m not going to talk about the game too much. Anyone who has played hockey knows the frustration of less than fantastic umpiring. It wasn’t helped that their ump was being told what to do by the oppo’s coach (who was on the sideline shouting random things at their team…. “come on lucy give me two minutes….come on penny, give me two minutes… come on josie, give me two minutes”. Frankly, running up and down the left wing with that constant senseless rubbish being shouted in my ear I wanted to give him more than 'two minutes'. A gag would have been favourite.
Basically, what I think they were doing was trying to draw us away from the ball and tire us out by running round and confusing us with their ‘hurricane’ running (v fast in circles for two minutes). Unfortunately, we’re a bit more sensible than that and were mostly zone marking so the ploy didn’t work. We stayed where we should have been whilst they ran round in circles for two mins at a time getting dizzy. Each team to their own tactics I guess, but seemed a bit pointless to me.
Just before end of first half they scored. It was, in fairness, a cracking shot from the top of the D, not helped by some dodgy subbing from us leaving a player unmarked. But you live and learn and we defended well the rest of the game.
The second half was all out attack by Staines to try and level the score but it just wasn’t happening. I don’t know what happened in the last fifteen mins 'cos the girl who had been trying to take me out all game finally succeeded in driving a ball into my knee leaving me effectively legless on the sideline until the pain subsided (I preferred the legless feeling that I’d had the night before to be honest).
Final score one nil to them and our first defeat of the season in a league game. Not disheartened though - we’re going to try to get both of our coaches to shout random strategy things at us from the sideline when they come for the return leg in 2006. And maybe their ump will know what they’re doing by then. We can only hope…..