Hampstead & Westminster 2s 1
BHHC 1s 2
Ben Hoggan reports: "Brighton & Hove’s first points of the season came from Hampstead & Westminster 2s first loss, as the defiant Sussex visitors fought hard for their 2-1 win on Saturday evening.
For the third week in a row, Brighton found the net within the first eight minutes of the game; and for the second consecutive week, it involved new signing Juan Sosa. Having found their way down the right hand side of the pitch, a piercing carry from Toby Price took the ball infield and into the Hampstead circle. The loose ball was reached first by Sosa who, after his backhand assist against Old Cranleighan last week, this time opted for an upright reverse hit. The bouncing ball was struck sweetly against the backboard and Brighton had the lead.
The previous week, the Brighton lead had held strong for just two minutes. After the opening goal this week however, the determined visitors continued to threaten the Hampstead goal and protect their own circle well throughout the first quarter. Even a yellow card for Rob Cornell was managed well.
In the 25th minute, incisive fluidity from debutants Patrick Ford and Jens Peters (pictured above with fellow juniors Malachi Hayes and Fintan Harman, who all impressed) led to a shot at an empty net, which was blocked only by the body of a Hampstead defender. A penalty stroke was awarded and captain Adam Flett took the ball to the spot. Flett’s shot, which was targeting the bottom left corner, found its way slightly too high and too near to Hampstead keeper, Lekan Ogunlana, who made the save.
In what the Brighton captain (and several of his team mates) described as “the worst two minutes of [his] hockey career”, Flett then received a green card for a foul on an advancing opposition player. Brighton now had 10 players, no captain, the sting of a missed opportunity to double their lead and what recent weeks had proven to be a fragile one-goal lead.
They were two vital minutes in Brighton’s season and they were dealt with well, with strong penalty corner defence and player marking. Juan Sosa’s green card just a minute after Flett returned proved too much however, as Hampstead fed the ball through Brighton’s 10 men, giving Harry Venables a chance to equalise that he took well.
The intensity of the game continued into the third quarter, with circle entries still regular at each end. Brighton fought hard to protect their circle, always seeming to find a way to stop the home side’s advances at goal. Hampstead did have chances, but after long periods of high transfer, a number of penalty corners and some spectacular corner defence from Chris Borsoi and Will Heywood on the goalline, the scores stayed level.
Brighton had their chances throughout the second half too. Breaking out of these spells in defence to counter attack regularly, dangerous attacks led to good chances that just missed a clinical touch. With five minutes until the final whistle, however, Ed Zeidler found that clinical touch. Jens Peters’ driving run infield opened space on the left side of the circle for the ball to be fed to Zeidler, who flashed a reverse hit through the goalkeeper’s legs. The sound of ball against backboard was instantly drowned out by elated Brighton celebrations, a release of tension that had been building since February 17 - the last time they had recorded league points.
It was a performance of incredible grit and defiance from Brighton, who now take themselves to within a point of three other teams in the table. The good feelings can continue into this weekend, with league fixtures taking a break, before the team travels to Tunbridge Wells on November 2 for an important chance to lift themselves up from the bottom of the table. In a league that appears to be increasingly open, momentum could be vital in gathering points and climbing to safety come the end of the season."
Week 5 results: Tunbridge Wells 2 Surbiton 2, West Herts 3 London Wayfarers 7, Bromley & Beckenham 3 Wimbledon 0, Old Cranleighan 3 Spencer 6, Hampstead & Westminster 1 Brighton & Hove 2.
Eastbourne 5s 1
BHHC 10s 3
Alistair Thomson reports: "Even with a glut of players, the MXs found themselves on the way to Eastbourne with a bare XI. That included the hamstrung College, having been out for two weeks and judging by past performance unlikely to complete the game.
A subsection of the team decided to do as the 1970s British Rail advert encouraged us (look it up on YouTube!), “Travel Inter-City like the men do”, whilst cementing their green credentials. The rest of the team were surprised to find out we had a trainspotter in the team. For obvious reasons the person's name will be kept confidential. Ho Ho Ho!
The torrential rain of the morning having cleared, we arrived into blinding sunlight and a long and intense discussion was had whether to play into the sun or with the sun behind. With only one physics teacher in the squad, Wappy’s expert opinion took precedence. The game marked the retirement of Thompo’s infamous “sports-bra” white shirt which had provided many initially humorous comments over the years. These had become tiresome, so a brand new BHHC away shirt only ordered on Wednesday was given its first outing.
The blinding sunlight coupled with Thompo playing as an emergency LB helped the team get off to the usual jittery start. Against an Eastbourne team that had been on the receiving end of some thrashings, the MXs found themselves 1-0 down early doors with typical disorganised defending.
The team, shocked by this setback against a poor side, soon got going and started to dominate and create chances. Dreaders, without his partner in crime Doc, just wasn’t on the money. Like gin and tonic, rhubarb and custard some things only work together. A comical attempt at a scoop from the top of the D from Dreaders, summed this up.
Eventually all the pressure told and Geoff slotted away from an acute angle at Dreaders' speed. The team regrouped at half time glad to no longer be Blinded by the Light. Thompo’s expert analysis of what was right and what was wrong was intently listened to by the team. Then Wappy, the real expert, calmly just said, ‘Thompo’s completely wrong’ and gave us the real reasons why we were so poor.
The team took charge in the second half dominating more and creating more opportunities. Unfortunately, these chances fell to Dreaders. A couple of these spring to mind. Following an accurate but slow square pass from Hendo, Dreaders managed to swipe, then fall over his feet before the ball had arrived. On another occasion, Dreaders received the ball in space just outside the top of the D. Unsure what to do (yes, bizarre considering he’s a forward), Dreaders managed to fumble the ball into the D causing the oppo player to give away a short. Thompo’s masterstroke was to relieve Dreaders of his injector duties, due to his ball speed being slower than Doc’s debut Parkrun (well done Doc!), so up stepped Louis to fire the ball in and Wappy finished with aplomb without the usual over the top celebration.
Due to the oppo chuntering away at their own umpires, cards started to be shown. Unsurprisingly, the oppo's best player got his regular trip to the dugout. Rather than being able to capitalise on the extra man, Geoff managed to use his Dreaders-like dancing skills to kick the ball post whistle. The umpire harshly adjudged this to be deliberate, but in mitigation, he had probably had enough of all the Eastbourne chuntering and wasn’t in a good mood. Geoff received a long yellow or so it seemed to Wappy, who by this time was starting to chatter a lot himself.
Many more chances, were created with but with Dreaders unable to finish and Louis' intelligent lob from just inside the D just missing, it was left to debutant Will to put the points beyond doubt in his first game in 16 years. It was just reward for Will’s hard work coupled only with just coming back from a head injury he received at training a few weeks before.
The post-game euphoria was quickly doused by Wappy complaining that he had had to do three jobs. Perhaps, similar to a Tory MP, he should focus on his main one!
I think I can safely say that Eastbourne is the team's favourite away trip providing great hot teas, decent beer (Long Man best on this occasion), opportunity to train travel and general bonhomie. This was highlighted by the fact that the whole team stayed for teas. Whether we will still feel the same following our next trip against their 4s, who include ex Olympian Rob Hill, we will soon see!
Dreaders' day wasn’t finished: Dreaders can’t hit a barn door, can’t close a car door. Dreaders still not top scorer.
Unfortunately, the international half term break for the hard-working teachers in our squad has come just as we were hitting form … still it provides College more gym time to work on that pesky hamstring."
Other results
BHHC 2s 4 Sunbury & Walton Hawks 1s 5
Southwick 1s 2 BHHC 3s 1
BHHC 4s 4 Eastbourne 3s 0
Crawley 2s 3 BHHC 5s 2
BHHC 6s 3 South Saxons 3s 0
BHHC 7s 3 Hailsham 2s 0
BHHC 8s 3 Lewes 6s 3
Crawley 4s 1 BHHC 9s 2