Ashford (Middlesex) Hockey Club

Saturday 16^th February, yet another sunny winter’s day (what IS with this weather???) and the 2^nd XI welcomed bottom of the league Lewes to Short Lane for another test of the team’s new found metal.  Bar one change (the Granger returning from his tour of the Southern Hemisphere) we started with the same team that beat Eastcote 3 – 1 the week before.   Targeting three points, we went into this in an upbeat mood. 

Keen to make a mark on his return, Granger led the front with Rosey, pressured the Lewes defense into some basic errors and allowed us to enjoy a lot of the play.  Now, this to any other team would be normal, yet for the 2s, it’s a strange phenomenon and we’re not entirely used to it.  So despite all of the early possession and chances, it took us nearly 15 minutes to convert the pressure into an outcome. 

Following good work down the right, the ball landed at Granger’s feet at the top of the ‘D’.  His shot was saved, as was the follow up from Rosey; however with that rebound landing at Cole’s feet he calmly drag ‘scooped’ the ball over the oncoming ‘keeper and into the back of the net.  Reasonable finish that as we all expected a typical wind up and ‘release of the beast’ type shot.  Well done Cole.  

A good start which we typically floundered a few minutes later by letting Lewes into the game, enjoy possession and pressure us in defense. Pressure which resulted in a short corner and a well converted flick into the top left corner. 

Still, this 2^nd XI are built of sterner stuff these days and another flowing move down our right saw Granger deliver a peach of a pass to the unmarked Rosey, right in front of the ‘keeper.  A deft touch from the youngster down his right foot with back to goal deflected the ball into the opposite corner.  Beautiful.  2-1 and half time. 

We kept things the same in the 2^nd half and continued to enjoy the majority of the play but in an unfamiliar situation we found ourselves stretched as fitness came into the fray.  And with stretched play came desperate defending as we were always vulnerable on the break.  More on that in a bit. 

Fine moves from the midfield through Cole, Smart, Harry and the outside halves gave Rosey and Granger some great chances upfront and if it wasn’t for a string of saves from the Lewes ‘keeper this could have been a cricket score. 

We scored our 3^rd around fifteen minutes into the half when Granger scored the first of his brace with a delightful reverse stick hit across the ‘D’.  3 – 1. 

And with that we started to take our foot off the gas as the 3 points felt comfortably within our grasp. Of course, that meant Lewes attacked more and we defended more.  Something we’re all too familiar with this year.  Desperate tackles to break up Lewes play saw Harry receive a yellow and then, to make it worse, Granger was given a yellow for dissent.  Who said we didn’t like to make it interesting?! 

Lewes scored from another short corner (it was a bit of a mess and doesn’t really deserve comment so we’ll leave it at that) but shortly after returning to full strength, we grabbed a fourth through Granger again.  Another well worked move from the right (whatever happened to our left?) saw yet another reverse stick hit bouncing off the backboard much to our delight. 

With 10 minutes left, there was still time for us to create a bounty of chances (and we really should have scored more) but things were levelled by the umpires after 2 Lewes players were yellowed for persistent bad tackles.  They were fortunate not to have a third dismissed with 2 minutes left after another quick break from Ashford.  Common sense finally prevailing in the umpires minds. 

The game ended, we achieved 3 points, goals and most impressively for the first time this season back-to-back wins.  We creep closer to safety but with Canterbury winning and Eastcote drawing we stay in the same perilous position.  Now though, we are buoyed by confidence and form. 

Things could, just could, be looking up for us as we approach the season run-in. 

Well done boys, proud of you this week. 

The 2s travel to mid-table London Wayfarers on Saturday as one of the in-form teams of the league.   

Washer

Man of the Match:
Rosey 

Saturday 9^th February, a sunny winter’s day and the 2^nd XI travelled to Eastcote for a crunch game…a must win game.  As always, changes to the team were made as we continue to struggle with a consistent starting XI; Adam Smith returning in goal this week.  We desperately needed to win this game to move away from the bottom two and hang on to the coat tails of mid-table.

Not the best build up to the game: arrived late, had to borrow a ‘keepers helmet from Eastcote and warmed up on the side of the pitch.  That said, team spirits were high, there was some good banter and the shambles of a pre match were quickly out of our minds once the game started.    

Early pressure came from a predominantly young Eastcote side, with plenty of movement in Ashford’s ‘D’ – early chances were well saved by Adam in goal, who looked like he’d never left the position.  With Shar and Digger marshalling the backs we absorbed the pressure well and started to play the ball through our midfield.  Gaps soon appeared in Eastcote’s set-up down their flanks and we started to enjoy territory with the ball.  A couple of good moves down the left through Charlie, Carl and Dan Holland up front producing a succession of long corners. 

With this pressure Ashford took the lead after 20 minutes.  An excellent cross field ball from Meadows found Captain Washer on the right.  Cutting inside the young left back, he found Rosey on the baseline, he beat his marker and crossed for Dan Holland to shoot into the keeper.  With typical panache, Cole had followed up from midfield and tucked the re-bound away.  A deserved lead. 

The rest of the half continued much in the same way:  Eastcote pressure followed by Ashford counter attack.  As always, young Dan Rose continued to thwart the oppo defenders with another composed performance and worked well with Dan ‘one-trick pony’ Holland. 

Half time came; we were tired but encouraged as we knew a win was on. In the 2^nd half we changed things around a little to man mark Eastcote’s playmaker so we could suffocate them further.  It didn’t work though as Eastcote levelled five minutes after the restart.  With a cross expected from a tight angle, Adam was caught surprised as the shot flew in at the far post.  We wobbled, not a good start, Eastcote felt the tide turn. 

Except that didn’t happen this time.  Resolute at the back, Billy in his best performance of the season had plenty of space and was able to release the pressure from the Eastcote forwards.  We also started to get the rub of the green with the umpires for the first time this season.   

A tactical change saw Prince Harry move into the man marking position to give Smarty a rest with Rakey coming in at left back.  Both excelled themselves and we started to threaten on the counter again.    

On 50 minutes, Billy cleared from the back with a typical clout up the pitch, the ball somehow finding man-of-the-match Rosey who with his first touch was able to turn the ball round his marker and onto the Eastcote keeper.  One-on-one, he rounded calmly, headed wide and coolly slotted the ball through the 2 defenders on the line.  No shot needed.  Good goal with a strange celebration from the young man who now resembles a young Graham Smart with his haircut! 

At this point you could see Eastcote’s heads dropped and we sniffed a win.

To Eastcote’s credit though they continued to press and produced a succession of short corners.  We repelled them all but had started to fall deep to protect the lead. There were some desperate tackles, Billy bravely going in on a reverse stick hit and stopping it was typical of the Ashford performance throughout:  Resolute, brave and wanting to win.   

With 4 minutes remaining, we broke out of defence again, Rosey mugging his defender again only to be taken out by another in the ‘D’ – penalty stroke.  Digger strolled up from the back and buried it.  We knew then we’d won and deserved it as well. 

The brief for this game was to follow the example of the men’s 1^st XI and win at all costs – even if it was ugly.  For large periods of this game we chased the ball and defended the trenches but going forward we are one of the best teams in this league and it showed today.  Four key chances and we took three of them (our best conversion of the season).  Well done lads, a bit of breathing space as we move ahead of Canterbury and away from the relegation zone.  A performance that proves we’re good enough to compete in this league. 

The 2s welcome Lewes to Short Lane on Saturday for yet another must win. 

Washer