Lightning Strikes Twice for Men's 6s (& Friends) vs Teddington

Men’s 6s (& 5s/Sparticans) 1 – 4 Teddington 4s

Déjà vu?

Is it real? Does lightning strike twice in the same place? Does history repeat itself?

Well it seems so. Teddington 4s beat us at home 1-4 before Christmas and did so again at theirs. Fortunately only a friendly as we could not get a full 6s side out; it seems some people have other things they want to do on a Saturday other than hockey! Ravvers “had a day off” (by going down the club, watching some hockey and then into the bar).

This was a game of numbers…

Teddington 4s played with some of their 3s. We were a combo of a few 6s, 5s and Sparticans (some of the 300 no doubt led by King “Fitchy” Leonidas).

We were 14 but overnight down to 13. Ben took an early knock needing ice – but the first aid kit was and still is with Saity – please bring it next game! So we were temporarily down to 12 til he recovered after a trip to the bar for a coke and ice no doubt. Then Ciaran had to go off and stayed off so back to 12. For a while Levi, who was clattered to the ground skinning both knees, sat it out (welcome to adult hockey!) so we were down to 11. But the plucky lad re-entered the fray and acquitted himself well.

The first half saw Teddington start with 11 outfield players as their keeper obviously didn’t know his way to his own ground and arrived 25 minutes in. Sadly we had no shot on goal in that period but conceded a goal from three metres out following a “mix up” in the D.

Jason and Alex were stalwarts in defence but they can only mark two not four defenders at a time and a break away led to a tap in at the far post.

A solo effort by Quinn from the 23 into the D saw him slot home inside the post and we went into the break at 1-2. There were divergent views expressed in the interval between the two then captains on the pitch. “We are getting run through and need to play narrower and when we lose the ball defence starts at the top down,” versus “No, the 442 is not working and we need 433.” Well the second half saw lighting strike from the first half three more times as Jason and Alex were left to mark two players each three times, and three more taps in from the far post a metre out put Teddington 4-1 up and into an unassailable lead (although one was back stick which was not self called albeit a friendly match – tut tut).

We had six corners second half with no return although Lloydy did get hold of a good drag flick only to see the keeper get the edge of his left glove to it to deflect it around the post. Special mention to Noaksy who rolled back the years and played out of his skin at left back and left half. We would not have conceded had his example been followed throughout the team. In addition Fitchy was the best behaved I can ever remember and plugged away, holding up the ball when needed, but it just wasn’t our day. Moment of the match was a nugmegging by Toby on the 23, which Teddington cheered as loudly as we did.

All in all a good trot out and in the real game with Ravvers and Bloxie in the middle and JJ and Foster at the back it will be a different story. The words of the black knight in Monty Python’s Holy Grail come to mind: “None shall pass.”

By Big T, stand in Captain for JJ