Match Reports
09/02/08
Sussex Police 3-5 Men's 4th XI
Brighton 4s marched on with another convincing win to have their revenge against teams that beat them in the first half of the season.
Missing Bondie (skiing) and Ade (surfing) and also without defensive stalwart Potter (up with 3s, nothing less than he deserves after some super displays this season) and Graham (also responding to the call of the 3s) there were concerns that the change in personnel might end the recent run of good results. Dan Benson was on hand to fill in up front while the messianic John Child was welcomed to help out in midfield.
The hassles began long before the mathc began for skipper Brooksy. As he dozed on the sunny Saturday morning BBC Southern Counties Radio informed him of the closure of the A27, right on the 4s expected flight path. Vice skip Shef was called up to fetch paper and colouring pens to draw the alternative route along the seafront.
As ten players crawled along the sea front a lone explorer was making his own furrow east from Lewes. That man was John Child who made the, in hindsight, brave option to yomp from Hampden Park train station to the pitch. He was last heard from last fighting his way through forests of zimmers and rivers of discarded woollen blankets. The directions from the locals were less than accurate and as the push back neared Shef and number one look out Ready were dispatched to rescue the lone soldier.
Brighton were finally at the required number only to realise that white was the order of the day, whoops. A few shirts scrounged from the Police and this rag tag bunch were finally ready for the off. Dan Benson looking like some kind or urchin as his tent like borrowed shirt swamped his body.
As has been the way of recent games Brighton started very brightly and the pace of Yann on the wing was unmatched by Police’s defence and the game was already opening up. JC was also getting his “wobble on” and as he (tip/tap) waltzed (tip/tap) around (tip/tap) the (tip/tap) Police’s (tip/tap) defence (tip/tap) you (tip/tap) could (tip/tap) sense (tip/tap) it (tip/tap) was (tip/tap) going (tip/tap to (tip/tap) be (tip/tap) one (tip/tap) of (tip/tap) those (tip/tap) days (WHACK GOAL!!!!) One nil Brighton and that legendary low back lift and power was too much for the Oak like ‘keeper.
Brighton continued to pour forward and Yann for the umpteenth time ran round the back and crossed for Dan Benson to pop up on the back post for his first 4s goal of the season.
Yann also got in on the act and JC was on hand with unerring accuracy to give Brighton a 4-0 lead. As half time approached Brighton got the wake up call they needed as the ball looped off some stunned heads off Chris Perry’s stick for the Policeman to strike it while airborne passed the waving Brooksy.
This half was also the first time in Brighton hockey history that we enjoyed some palindromic 1-2s in midfield between JC and CJ, or should that be CJ and JC. Genius, do you see? It doesn’t matter either way, brilliant. (I have no evidence that this is the first time but presume we haven’t had some players called Opmoht or Yppaw in recent years.)
Half time 4-1 to the good and things were looking up. Brighton knew they would have to weather a coming onslaught but had the skill to see this game out. The Police promoted their rotund and chatty sweeper to centre forward to cause some problems, and cause some he did mainly by winding up Sleaze with the banter.
The second half is also the cue for the defending to become more comical, please see previous reports for the evidence of this. This week Sleaze decided to “drop deep,” as they say, to help” switch the ball” (I don’t pretend to understand this crazy jargon) and as he attempted a cricket style sweep shot he totally mistimed it and was caught LBW to give away one of the more amusing short corners of the year. The newly promoted striker also tried to claim the goal, as the ball dribbled over the line, cheeky monkey!
Brooksy, quiet up to now, was called into action and saved smartly from a short corner. For the next short corner he was beaten but Shef’s big foot, which was planted cleverly next to his stick to create a larger surface area and the goal was saved. As the umpire’s arms created a close approximation of a dance move the penalty flick was awarded. Shef smiled at Brooksy “at least we’ve got a chance”. Has he seen Brooksy in training? Did he not know that Brooksy once kept goal for the longest ever penalty flick competition on record without the ‘keeper getting a touch. It had to be abandoned because of boredom.
Old Brighton face Pagey put the ball on the spot…….. didddleooo diddlieooooo….. (this is a written effort at flashback)…….. last season Brooksy saved a penalty flick against Pagey on the same pitch and at the same end by diving full length to his right…….. (click) and you’re back in the room.
The umpire tooted his whistle and Pagey pushed it hard to his left but Brooksy dived harder to his right and his outstretched left hand palmed the ball away to the triumphant roar of his team mates.
This wake up call lasted a few seconds as a midfield altercation led to Tosh being green carded, sorry yellow carded, as his penchant for nattering got him into trouble, some chat from the Brighton supporters may not have helped.
As Brighton were restored to 11 men the 5th goal was scored, again by our Gallic Flyer Yann who was having another inspired game on the wing.
Sussex Police would not lie down and two goals in the last five minutes gave the final score-line a sheen that did not reflect Brighton’s first half quality. If only Brighton could maintain that for 70 minutes they would be a force to reckon with.
The unbeaten sequence now stretches to 4 with three wins in that 4. Amazingly though that has only resulted in a one place leap up the table; but 5th place is only 2 points away and bottom of the league Horsham are next in the firing line; another team upon whom we need to avenge an earlier defeat.