Sages 0 - 2 Epsom O45s (A)
By Ruthie Banks
On a cold foggy grey February afternoon the Sages W045s convened (or some of us did… more on that later) for our anticipated match against Epsom. Sinead as our fab captain was fully prepared with the slight fly in the ointment that our “coach” was actually captaining the Epsom Team. All team tactics were therefore carefully guarded!
Starting in pairs was new, and a great pincer movement for subbing. The mighty Debs and Ellie at the back were the first pairing – who moved from the outer backs to the inner backs in one swift movement and so on… with Silke in goal, with Becs and Sinead. Despite some lovely moves from Emma Dempsey up the wing and some awesome pirouettes and swerving moves from Becs; the Epsom team snuck past and tonked a goal in quite early.
Rallying is our mantra and so the mids got to fending off some torrid attacks from the oppo and creating their own play sending some superb balls wide and up the middle – great play from Jane; Fitchy, Phillipa and Val. These attacking attempts got us into a better formation and some strong balls from Manda, Anna and up to Ruthie nearly put them on the run. One of their backs looked like they could hit it at 100mph from the back circle to Leeds in 10 seconds and several of these created a counter attack and second goal from Epsom in the first half.
So with our paired rotations on came Struthie & Kirsten and some new tactics from el capitain….run like the wind then off. Sinead and her counter captain were holding up their “defence” magnificently. The Sages team worked really well together and created some super play into their D – with a couple of short corners for our efforts. Despite no goals for us, we did stop them scoring again and stopped all attempts for further goals – thus awarding Sinead Player of the Match at teas afterwards.
DOD goes to me….for a) thinking the game was cancelled, then b) reading the location of the cancelled game was Hinchley Wood – and turning up there instead of Epsom.
They are a really nice oppo; the club teas were an interesting mix of gherkins; sausages, radishes, potato salad and a tomato sauce; all delicious. Thanks to Charlotte G for being our coach on the sideline and also to the great company back at their clubhouse. This is surely what club hockey is all about – decent game; friendships; laughter and some random food.