Match Reports
29/03/08
St Francis 1 4-3 Men's 4th XI
Epicurus the Greek Philosopher (circa 300 BC) pondered that the route to perfect happiness is through attaining harmony. This harmony can be acquired by ensuring that in your life you have a lack of fear or, as we would probably equate now, a life free of worry. He also advocates good friends and modest means for enjoyment. He has often been misquoted as an advocate of hedonism. As any one in the club can testify we know Dan Hore is on a mission when we hear the cry “Another jug of Epicurean snakebite and black Graham!!”
On the face of it though membership of a hockey club can satisfy even the modest Epicurean goals. Friends? 11 of them every week! (sometimes more some times less)
Enjoyment? A cheap beer with a jolly barman in the clubhouse. Perfect.
Free of fear/worry? On a normal week, yes, no doubt. Hockey is a game to enjoy to the best of your abilities. Sadly, we lost that on Saturday and in so doing lost the game and failed to attain Epicurean harmony.
Every player in the squad knew it was a big game with Premier Division survival resting on the result. That seemed to produce an element of panic in the ranks and the team spirit, cultured over the season, went out the window.
Brooksy had assembled a decent squad with Yann restored to his rightful place on the wing, Russell Murphy returned and an emotional Tom Scopes, playing what could be his last game in a Brighton shirt for quite some time. We were missing our Totem Ready but with Jamie ably stepping in there shouldn’t be any worries.
Brighton started as we have done for most of the year by making the opposition look ordinary. Dan Benson, who has been on a rich vein of form for the 4s since he stepped up from the 5s, was on hand to give Brighton a very early lead after being given two bites of the cherry off the ‘keepers pads.
St Francis showed some dogged determination and equalised when a bobbly break away was finished under the advancing Brooksy.
It was here the cracks began to show as some inter-team arguing ensued, no need lads, no need. The game was bubbling up and very nearly boiled over when the St Francis striker decided to take Sheff by the neck, no need, no need!
Brighton re took the lead again from Dan Benson after good work on the flanks by Yann and surely Brighton would pull away and show their class. Matt Harding also continued his run of bad luck when his first time effort struck the metal work.
The game continued in a disjointed manner and then the curse of the short corner struck.
Potter’s size 9s got to the ball first and St Francis levelled.
Half-time.
Some soul searching at half time proved fruitless as the second half display descended into the mire despite Brighton enjoying the majority of the possession and territory but with no result. Two more St Francis short corners resulted in two goals and Brighton’s heads were well and truly down. If only Brooksy could inherit Potter’s ability to hunt the ball the ball down with his foot and Potter could learn Brooksy’s ability to miss it with his they’d be an awesome defensive force.
Brighton, despite playing with chins on chests, pulled one back when Bondy converted from a smooth short corner routine.
There was still time for St Francis to be reduced to ten men for chirping and Brighton were also reduced to ten when Bondy was sent to the sidelines.
But the inter team arguing didn’t end until the final whistle had blown.
With Lewes getting the required point the 4s future in the Premier League hangs in the balance and reliant on powers beyond our control.
The ifs and buts continued in the bar and via text message into the evening but the only answer is this:
If we had played as a team we would have won handsomely, but we didn’t, so we lost. Lessons to be learnt for the cup games.
DB
Thanks to Begs for umpiring when I am sure he’d have been happier watching the 1s (if it’s any consolation so would I) and Ade for donning the managerial coat of honour to run the subs.