CONGRATULATIONS - The 2’s are CHAMPIONS ...before they left the car park !!

So to the last report of the year .......On a bright sunny day, with spring in the air and the depths of winter consigned to history, the 2’s were declared Champions of East Central 1! (Played 22. Won 18. Drew 2. Lost 2). Today was a game of three halves: the game before the game, the game itself and the after-game game in the “Lamb” in the evening !

So taking each of the three games in turn....

Firstly , “the game before the game”. The day was perfectly poised, and either North Wilts or Marlborough could still be declared champions. We only needed a draw to be guaranteed Champions and we would know our fate before our match due to our late push back (3.30pm). North Wilts (played at 11am) and lost 5-4 at home to Yate. As the Marlborough motley crew gathered at the College Car Park, news came through of North Wilts loss (shame !) and we were declared Champions before we left the College Car park! This resulted in some muted celebrations and some seriously mutinous thoughts about “skipping the game in Bath and heading straight for the pub now!!”. Anyway being the consummate professionals that we are ......we debated the pub option for some time ....before heading off to Bath!

Secondly, “the game itself”. For the first time this year we arrived uncomfortably early before a game, this was new territory for many of us and our psychological preparation had not catered for such unforeseen eventualities! Never mind, we would not be phased by this. We were at one of the best Sports complexes in the country, international athletics track, home of the British Winter Olympic Association....the place just reeks “elite athletes”....so Marlborough leaned up against the fence “like naughty school boys” for half an hour watching the latter stages of the Ladies match ! [For the record, the Blue defence was shocking and Green 12 scored with a good penalty flick!]

So 3 people set off for a warm up, Rob Hues and Andy Davidson did an “old mans lap” of the track and left Dan Crossman trailing in their wake! If Mark Salvidge had joined us, he probably wouldn’t have collapsed in a heap during the game ! (hope the knee is better). As the ladies game finished, “the Champions” meandered on to the pitch - whilst developing a new short corner strategy – Let Rob Hues smash them in ! As we finessed this cunning plan, the umpires called the game to start and we hadn’t even got our balls out yet! The game started – with 2 of our players still on the side drinking water and everything else still thinking about going direct to the “Lamb” !

Once 11 were on the pitch , we started brilliantly some crisp passing hockey, lots of swift interplay and running off the ball, high press working well and everyone working really hard for each other...OH SORRY....that was all the other games we played...WE WERE SHOCKING, AWFUL, INEPT.... no other words to describe it! The funny thing was we all knew and the harder we tried to fix it the worse it got! Importantly , we won loads of short corners, the chances would come and like many games this season we never felt like losing.

1-0 Down . Then against the run of play Bath Buccs scored one of the scabbiest goals I have seen this season. No problem we have come from behind before. Keep the faith!

2-0 Down. Again the second time Bath Buccs got into our D, the right forward misshit a pass that bounced over 1 stick, went too slow passed another to worth stopping , Rich Newton lay in a perfect positon to protect the goal, it bobbled off another defenders stick passed Rich to a Bath Buccs forward, who had an open goal from 6 feet in front of goal , and still managed to mis-cue and toe-end back from where it came and back in off the far post! 2-0 down - Keep the faith! The only difference now was that in all the other games we went behind we were actually playing good hockey – today we were not! Half time could not come quick enough! Sadly Mark Salvidge injured himself doing a pirouette and we had no subs for the rest of the game – game management would now be key.

2-0 Down at half Time. Like a good Captain, Ed Watson , caught the mood, didn’t need to say much – we all knew what needed to be done. The goals will come - last year we came back from 3 goals down v Bath Buccs E and the same again against Swindon A.

We started the second half with real purpose, “we were not going to lose”. Any thoughts of the “Lamb” were banished and we started to dominate the game. They had no short corners in the second half – we had dozens! Ed, Nick Jephson and Charlie started to boss the midfield. Alex Davies and Rob Hues were now surging forward all the time in support of the Adam Staines and Nat Clarke.

Dan Crossman and Tristan Norman were really starting to dominate up front, Dan with his trademark “in –out , shimmy, gone” and Tristan with his “speed and hand-off!”. The pressure finally paid.

2-1 Tristan Norman scored through a crowd of players and we knew instantly that it was “game-on”. A real sense of relief all round! Surely we would score quickly again – we did not.

2-2 Rob Hues scores a thunderbolt at a short corner – straight strike. We had tried so many different short corner routines that we literally ran out of options – back to Plan A. Rob SMASH it in. I was stood behind Rob and watched Dan inject, Nick stop and gently push it forward, as Rob stick came down he cleverly twisted the head approximately 4.25 degrees, to open the angle, fin the gap and smash it home! The question is “what disappeared quicker...that shot or Rob’s pint in the Lamb in part 3”. What is indisputable, is the volume of noise and shriek that Rob produced after the ball his the backboard – it could be heard all the loudness and ..see part 3!

We pushed hard for a winner and for most of the final 5-10 minutes Rich Newton was all alone in our half. Sadly the winner did not come – but a draw confirmed us as Champions with a 4 point winning margin at the top of the league. There was a slightly deflated feeling at the end of the game about not being able to win, and it felt a bit like the first two games of the season – loads of possession and chances – but no win!

Finally, to the third “half” of the day – the celebrations back at the Lamb! We ditched the thought of post match teas and raced back to Marlborough – straight to the Lamb for an excellent celebration organised by “John Berry and Ed Watson”. What a night! I will now stay with a strict policy of what “goes on the Lamb stays in the Lamb”. What can be said with great authority is that all the 2’s drank better than they played – with some notable performances - with many notable performances (you know who you are!). It can also be said that some of the 1’s need to drop to the 2’s to sharpen up the their skills and avoid future social embarrassment! Great night had by all.

MAN OF THE MATCH – Rob “The Hitman” Hues and Nat Clarke for their performances .....especially in the “Third Half”!

SPECIAL MENTION – To absolutely everyone who has played for the 2’s, you have all played your part in being Champions - but a special mention to our skipper ED WATSON who has, as well as organising us, has been organising his wedding, club wine tasting nights, quiz nights, cooking for many matches and playing hockey in between!

It has been a pleasure to part of a great bunch of guys....once again CONGRATULATIONS to all.

I am now off to get my knees, back, heart and shoulder sorted in time for next year! (Signed - Andy Davidson)