Sages 0 - 6 Old Cranleighans O45s (A)

Venue: Old Cranleighans Hockey Ground

A soggy afternoon set the stage for the first cup match between the Surbiton Sages and the Old Cranleighans O45s. Anticipation was high to begin with, but it quickly became clear that this Old Cranleighans team was almost unrecognisable from the team that the Sages had faced in the league, mere weeks ago: faster, slicker, and drilled to perfection, they were formidable from the outset.

The Sages started with passion and energy, committing to every ball. There was some good passing play and movement off the ball (I know this because I did not do any of said movement, which gave me lots of opportunities, while standing still, to admire these aspects of our game!!), but while we did have some chances, we struggled to break through OCs defences and translate these into goals.

Following a well-executed and precise short corner routine, OCs put their 'first' (yes 'first'... you know where this is headed....) goal across the line.

Despite valiant efforts from Surbiton’s defence, OCs pressed forward incredibly well and the relentless pressure was soon taking its toll. Wave after wave of well-coordinated attacks pushed the Sages back, and it wasn’t long before they seized another goal, this time from a slightly scrappier passage of open play.

We regrouped at half time, determined to push back and, after some clear direction from Ryan and copious amounts of jelly tots, we marched out, intent on redressing the balance. However, the story of the match remained the same: Old Cranleighans continued to press with precision and flair, leaving the Sages battling hard to keep the scoreline respectable.

And sadly, that was also a battle we did not win. While OCs seemed to operate as a single, unflappable unit; it has to be admitted that, as a team, we let our heads go down early on which resulted in us losing cohesion and making avoidable errors, which served to fuel OCs’ fire. A few questionable refereeing decisions caused further frustration and took our focus away from the game, which also cost us. After the third goal went in, as Austin Powers might say, we had completely “lost our mojo” and were finding it incredibly hard to recover.

To be honest, the less said about the remainder of the second half, the better… Suffice to say, if you are familiar with ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’, then you should have a fair idea of how things progressed (as my ever-empathetic and subtle mother commented on the phone that evening, “Jesus, sure they absolutely massacred you!”)

While the final whistle marked a tough day at the office for the Sages, there was learning to be taken from today, which we will undoubtedly make use of in our coming games… and besides, as Sinead wisely observed during match teas, “It’s actually a good thing, because I feel we are more of a ‘plate’ than a ‘cup’ team anyway!”

POM was Bex for excellent movement and distribution in midfield during the first half, followed by solid work in defence during the second half.

DOD was yours truly (again) - while I refused to accept it for my ‘comedy fall’ (trip), given the fact that I lost my car keys so arrived last… without either my hockey stick or gum shield, I don’t think I could muster much of a defence. Much like my performance on pitch today, it could be said!!

Final Score: Surbiton Sages Over 45s 0–6 Old Cranleighans Over 45s