Jokers 1 - 2 Teddington 4s (H)

Scorer: Rob Stone

Team: Haycroft, Draper, Foster, Bloxham, Barnicoat, Sayer, Sait, Bowen, Milsted, Hey, Dye, Stone, Walbran, Hodges

Umpires: J. Lloyd & J. Andrew  - thank you again and for keeping the game flowing

It’s always very difficult to know which Jokers side will turn up for the first game of the season, especially with a 17.30 push back and at least half the side thinking about donning their slippers and smoking jacket at that time of day! However there were very positive vibes during the warm up and everyone seemed up for it… all 14 of us so plenty of legs in theory. We knew from our two games against Teddington last season that today was going to be one of the toughest games of the season and we weren’t wrong, albeit with a different looking Teddington side.

The Jokers started off extremely well – movement, first touch, passing, decision making was all better than we had hoped and we definitely controlled the first 15-20 minutes. Yes, Teddington had their moments and pressed us high, but as is the case in most games, Foster, Draper, Barnicoat (Sayer), Bloxham (Sait) and Haycroft mopped up any looming trouble and we found a way to build some promising attacks. The Jokers actually took the lead very early (fourth minute) in the first half - we won a short corner and with a general idea of what we were going to do, up stepped Stone to hammer home a straight strike which hit the top of the back board. 1-0 to the Jokers.

This seemed to put a bit of a rocket up a very youthful and energetic Teddington side, who had a good balance of four to five senior players and the rest senior colts. They started to put together more penetrating attacks, track back more and put us under a lot more pressure when we had the ball. We were possibly fortunate to end the half 1-0 up, surviving numerous penalty corners and a good shout for a penalty flick, but we had a few chances of our own from both open play and short corners but we couldn’t add that much needed second goal. We hung on and went into our half time team talk happy with our first half performance.   

The second half was slightly more one sided. Teddington threw everything at us and it felt as if they were camped in our half and we just couldn’t retain possession. The midfield of Bowen, Milsted, Dye (Hey) and Stone worked tirelessly throughout the game, however a slight lapse in concentration down our left opened up a gaping hole for Teddington to run in behind our defence and after some brave defending, a reverse (perhaps backstick?) shot rocketed into the bottom hand corner of Big T’s goal.

We had a couple of chances of our own during the half, but again gave away a string of short corners as we possibly began to tire from lack of possession and being able to control the speed of the game. It wasn’t until the sixtieth minute and probably Teddington’s tenth short-corner of the game (about five of them hit poor old JJ), that they scored their second and decisive goal – a drag flick from the top of the D into the top left corner.

The Jokers weren’t done yet and were determined to try and level things up, but they weren’t helped by Hey picking up a yellow card, leaving some tired legs to deal with the last five minutes without him. It wasn’t to be and although it’s always disappointing to lose, the signs for the season look very promising. That should, in theory, be one of the more challenging games (famous last words).

Thanks to Teddington, Lloydy and James A for making it an enjoyable first outing back in London SW Division 4.