Match Reports
17/02/07
Reigate 1-5 Men's Veterans XI
ANNO DOMINI FLATTERS BRIGHTON
This week's opposition, Reigate, have been one of the better teams in the Kent and Sussex League and always play a good standard of hockey. The march of time is relentless and with their "younger" veterans playing in the Wessex League some of their older players now find 70 minutes a long time to stand around in shorts.
Being the middle of February at Stanley Deason, the pitch was bathed in sunshine and both sides looked forward to an enjoyable game. Brighton were keen to avenge their defeat earlier in the season and Reigate wanted to build on their recent run of form. To add further spice to proceedings, Geoff Dennis, who was Brighton Vets' Captain only two years ago, turned up in red and black and the game was on.
Unfortunately the actual play did not live up to its billing and after one of Brighton's more abject displays both teams went into the interval honours even at a goal apiece. For those interested in the details Adrian Adams won the ball off a Reigate defender and managed to find the back of the net off the 'keepers pads.
Firm words from the skipper did not seem to have much impact but eventually Brighton started getting the basics right and began to move better off the ball. Plenty of chances were created at both ends and Pete Ashdown had another excellent game in goal. In the end it was Rob Scrivins who scored the goal that broke the deadlock. Desperate not to repeat his embarrassment of last week Scrivins made sure he never ventured further than three yards from the goal-line when shooting and when Adams drilled the ball across was on-hand to pop the ball in.
The visitors began to tire and Brighton were able to exploit the extra room. James Jephcott and Tim Ireland combined down the right to move the ball smartly to Adams at the top of the D. Despite not having his shooting boots on he was determined to show his forward team-mate that not only could he score from that far out but he could do it with a push. Talk about rubbing salt into the wound! Scrivins now found his lead in the annual goal-scoring competition cut down to three and moved closer to the line. Sure enough a shot thudded against the 'keeper's pads and from nine inches out he was definitely in his comfort zone to return the gap to four with five games left. The more observant of you will have noticed that both his goals this week travelled a shorter combined distance than his penalty stroke last week and that even if all three were added together the stroke would still not have crossed the line.
In the dying minutes of the game two moments summed up the relative fortunes of both sides. Steve Mooney broke down the left and thanks to the goalkeeper's efforts appeared to have his shot going wide only for Ben Williams to pop up and walk the ball into the goal. At the other end Geoff Dennis finally found himself in front of goal only for the ever-reliable Andy Wood to dispossess him before he could contemplate how to bore the bar with more talk of goals scored and Lincoln City's progress.
The final scoreline flattered Brighton but with only one player in his forties Reigate should feel no disgrace at their performance.