B2H 7s Monthly Mixed Tournament #2

Team GRIFFINS: Tom Filipinski (GK Athletics - guest), Emma Hawksley, Jez Lamb, Matt Chapman, Gary Robinson (Capt.), Kit Yunes, Sam Gardiner, Roger Hitch, Louise Gordon-Steward (9) (Unavailable - Alex Drury (GK), Peter Bucksey, William Rowlandson, Lia Pitarokoili (vc), Jerry Lane, Glenn Moore, Murray Knight)

Scorers: Gary, Jez (2), Matt, Sam

Team DRAGONS: Stuart Swindell (GK), Apurva Anand (vc), Emma Lloyd-Williams, Daman Chugh, Mike Marshall, Peter Speirs, Emelia Wood (guest), Richard Wood, (8) (Unavailable - Chris Carr, Hugh Wilkinson, Tom Kay, Sarah Kelly, Phoebe Wilkins, Kevin Styles, Sarah Smith-mothering (Capt.)

Scorers: Peter, Emelia

Team SIRINS: Will Shinn (GK Vintage - Guest) Charlie Mortimer (Capt.), Jacques Fischer, Michael Duff, Ivette Isai, Rex Cham, Rosy Gross, Simmie Stone, Roger Hitch (Guest G6) (8) (Unavailable – Simon Boote, Zoe Latchford, Sandy Mackay (vc), Stuart Murray, Garyth Turner, Gemma Wicks)

Scorers: Charlie, Jacques (2), Rex, Michael, Roger

PREPARATION

We only had our own three teams of Griffins, Dragons and Sirins entering, despite Matt’s gallant efforts in trying to persuade OCs to get a team together after they requested to take part. The schedule had been changed to ensure that we used all the time available plus not having the waiting team to wait too long before playing their next match.

We therefore had a two-leg round robin tournament where the first three matches (as per T1) are repeated for the second half of the tournament, with the scores added together to make a final aggregate result. Each of the six matches lasted 20 minutes with a five minute half time interval and five minutes between each match. The first match started at 10:00am and the last game ended at 12:55pm.

Organisation was a lot easier for T2 having done most of the selection for T1. I must have got it right as over the two legs we had four draws and only two narrow wins.

UMPIRES

Each team had to provide two umpires for the game they were not playing. Our collective thanks go to them but I did not record exactly who they were for each match (Jez, Gary, Roger, Mike, Michael, Josh, Apurva at least). We also have to thank once again, Josh Blair for coming along to umpire the first few games. It would be good practice for all players to have a go at umpiring to see just how difficult the job is, so I hope that captains might consider this when player umpires are called upon. Our regular umpire, Giles Reynolds, was unavailable this week.

CONTROL DESK

Thanks go to each team for taking their part in organising the control desk and to visitor (injury recovering member) Chris Hallsworth for taking charge at one point and for staying on to watch the M2s win 2-0 on P1.

LUNCH

Once again, we acknowledge chef Hugh and his team for providing us with a great lunch of chilli con carne. We had 17 of the 24 players staying for lunch and we took up a whole row of tables in the tea room. There were many different conversations going on and we all had a great time with beers at hand as well.

THE MATCH RESULTS

Leg matches results:
Game 1 – L1 SIRINS 2 - 0 DRAGONS
Game 2 – L1 DRAGONS 2-2 GRIFFINS
Game 3 – L1 GRIFFINS 1-1 SIRINS
Game 4 – L2 SIRINS 1-0 DRAGONS
Game 5 – L2 DRAGONS 0-0 GRIFFINS
Game 6 – L2 GRIFFINS 2-2 SIRINS

Aggregate scores and T2 points:
SIRINS 3-0 DRAGONS (3 points for Sirins)
DRAGONS 2-2 GRIFFINS (2 points for Dragons & Griffins)
GRIFFINS 3-3 SIRINS (2 points for Griffins & Sirins)

T2 points:
SIRINS - 5
DRAGONS - 2
GRIFFINS - 4

Total Points - T1 + T2:
SIRINS 11
GRIFFINS 7
DRAGONS 2

The results are carried forward to the end of the season’s final totals.

VISITORS AND PLAYING GUESTS

We were delighted to see Chris Hallworth (sporting a nearly repaired middle finger) who came down to support the T and join in the fun. Apart from providing off pitch advice to our NTH members he also contributed to the control desk. We were pleased to have Tom Filipinski (GK) for all but one game to take control of the Griffins back line, even though he was playing league later that day. Ex B2H GKs are permitted to take part when we are short of them. Emelia Wood, on a visit back home from university, helped out to make even team numbers and the equality of the team’s skills ratings.

THE PLAY

Team members will remain in the teams as of the day and new participants will be allocated accordingly as they become available. When squad members increase, selection will be limited to ten players, in rotation, for each T, so not everyone will play each T of the season. We hope that you will come down and support your team if you are not selected.

I am sure that the game play was an improvement on T1 as the play seemed to flow faster with the heightened competition element from the ADV players, causing an umpire at one stage to ask for a bit more calm. This was borne out as the number of players who ended up inspecting the turf at close quarters was a greater number than last time. Needless to say, I was one of them, as usual, but ending up this time with a mildly sprained ankle that made itself know at 4am. Poor Rex had to go off and get medical assistance for harsh grazes on both knees (we are reviewing the video recording - lol) and Emma H reported some discomfort after her fall. However, Rex bravely returned and showed how hardy he was by scoring what was probably the “Goal of the Tournament”.

Jez and Jacques both got a brace of goals, so well done to them. Rosy did her best as usual putting in 100% and NTH Emma LW showed a calmer approach to the game and performed well with hordes of attackers flooding forwards at times. Gary’s first time as a B2H team captain showed that his forward planning and team selection negotiations are top notch and I am sure that this contributed well to his team’s T2 second place. The Dragons were missing their star centre half in Chris C, which was probably why they struggled this time, but just wait for their comeback when Chris is allowed out for the next T3. Chris’s availability depends on his work commitments and we all know he would rather be running up and down the pitch showing us all how it should be done.

We have 44 members who have asked to play in the Ts and we only had 50% available this time. I am sure that when everyone is available (never actually happens though) the game play will be more intense and the desire to excel will reach new bounds.

We had one comment from NTH Simmie who said “This was the best hockey experience I have had so far”. This is what we love to hear at B2H and our focus is to get comments just like this. Simme, Will, Chris H and I sat together on the cold seats of the stands to chat and watch the M2s in action, taking the opportunity to discuss the way to play by observing what was going on in front of us. Simmie and I could not resist having a Tea Hut ‘jumbo burger and chips’ after Josh appeared munching away on one. I can recommend them.

We had a few latecomers at the start and I am grateful for them for either organising their schedule to be at the start or making the effort to come down as soon as they could. After having left the new SIRINS shirts at home, with 20 minutes before they were required for the first game, I went to collect them but arrived back two minutes after they started, so they changed into them for the second game and looked very smart indeed.

There were comments from many players regarding how much they enjoyed the changed format for a T of three teams with four matches of two legs each, so I hope that our Tournament Organiser will choose this again when if we have another internal T.

CLASSIC CAP

Just to remind you all that the Classic Cap will be available soon (£11.56) and I would love to see many of you wearing them to show the rest of the club how big B2H’s presence is, and also your friends and neighbours when you are out and about. I am sure a cap will provide much heat retention in the cold winter months to come. Heed the weather man’s recent warnings! Just contact Roger with your request for one, and thanks to those who have already asked for one.

B2H PICTURE ARCHIVE

Don’t forget that all the pictures for this T2 and all other match pictures and reports are all on the archive photo site here

Thank you to everyone who took part in our second T of the season.