Boys U16 Coyotes 3 - 4 Sevenoaks (A)
By Will Hayes
Storm Ciaran relented as bright skies greeted the BU16 Coyotes players at the well appointed Radnor House School playing fields just outside Sevenoaks. Trips anti-clockwise around the M25 and down the M26 hadn't brought much joy previously (a defeat vs Canterbury), and the players knew they were in for a stiff test.
The home side certainly seemed to dominate the early exchanges with the visitors perhaps somewhat passive in their pressing - that said, some individual excellence from one of the home midfielders saw two very clean open play strikes (on both the reverse and open stick side) in the first half - 2-0 to Sevenoaks at half time.
It's unclear whether Billy went full Ferguson-hairdryer at the interval, but whatever was said seemed to work as the forwards and midfielders seemed to exert more pressure. Toby T went full Go-Gadget-Go-Arms as he intercepted skilfully on the reverse and led a swift counter which saw Dexter pull one back.
Next, Toby T lead wide and a quick free hit from a SHC defender, saw him attack the inside right channel and after some mild Sevenoaks argy-bargy inside the 25, win a PC from which Toby B, after some patter-cake-patter-cake off the keeper’s pads, scored.
Speaking of argy-bargy, it was somewhat surprising that that umpires didn't suggest that Dexter have a two minute rest - one can only assume that he has a Wayne Barnes "Bind, pause, engage" loop going around his head.
Sevenoaks regained the lead from a PC in the 55th minute. The combination play from Surbiton improved with Hebert playing good eyes-up hockey and finding forwards in space - which lead to a PC that Geering finished neatly - 3-3.
Again, another false dawn - pretty much straight from the push back, an aerial of the length and height that your correspondent (i.e. not all that) would chuck somehow found its way down the right wing - the ball was passed across the goal and knocked in at the far post - 4-3.
It looks likely that the Coyotes will need to win their last remaining fixtures with muchos goals scored and not many conceded if they are to play Champions League hockey rather than Europa League in the new year.