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Vintage Enjoy Run Out Against Reading

 

13th November 2019

By Paddy Tripp

Vintage 3 – 1 Reading Ruins

Team: Baker, Harding, Dunn, Hamber (Richmond), Gorbert (Amersham), Tripp, Paterson, Burles (OC’s), Tom (Reading), Dick (Reading), Harry (Reading)

Umpire: Whelan

Player of the Match: David Burles 

Scorers: Tripp, Gorbert (2)

The week starts with five players available and a streaming cold – sheer joy abounds. Gradually it improves with a keeper, but we sit stuck on eight. Message to Reading asking for postponement; 147 messages out to Over 60’s players; plead mails to club management; OC’s game postponed but they all seem to be Quins supporters. Ends up with Reading saying “let’s just have a game of hockey and we will lend you three in the 6 – 6 draw”. So off we go but not very happy.

Lending players usually means their least talented three but not on this day – three volunteers (with a bit of persuasion). We jumbled our strategy around to accommodate as best possible and awaited the usual disaster. BUT... we started pretty well with everyone helping each other. But after 15 minutes they scored a dodgy goal (our keeper on floor caring for one of their players holding his head). My thought was of flood gates but that was not to be. We settled to our task and got within six inches of equalizing but Warfarin fingers could not feel the stick. 0 – 1 at half time.

No team talk but that had its own effect and we were better leading to an equalizer. The style and attitude improved again and we began to control the game. One of their players injured a thumb and went off – whilst we were being informed agreed to sporting 10-aside with Coldfinger going to the bench, Ross Gorbert scored probably the slowest goal I have ever seen. But it counted! Then he scored a better one and we cruised to a good victory, very sporting and pleasant game except that it rained throughout and my fingers hurt.

WELL PLAYED TEAM and it was nicely social in the bar – thank you Reading. They are lucky to have Nick Barton – an ex 1st team player who now runs all four of their “age” sides.