Reports 20th September 2003
Men's 1st XI draw 2-2 with Blueharts III
Men's 2nd XI are on the receiving end of a 14-1 spanking from Blueharts II
Men's 3rd XI also draw 2-2 with Blueharts V
Cambridge South Men's I 2 - 2 Blueharts II
Scorers: Rob Hay, Chris Graveling
The last friendly match before the start of the league season was a promising one for the 1st X1. The play was even over the whole of the match and two goals a piece is an honest result.
Short of several players, as usual, South had drafted a guest right winger and Keith Simpson started his first match for the 1st team. It won't be his last as Keith did an excellent job in defence with Jim Thorpe and Johnny Tostevin. Johnny T worked well going forward, linking up in particular with Chris Massey, making his debut in the outdoor game.
Rick Erlebach and Chris Graveling both played well in central midfield, supported by Rob Hay on the left. Up front, guest player Seigo showed a useful turn of pace and Sanjay Argawala and Matt Murray both looked dangerous going forward.
Super-sub Dan Addlinton came on to give a variety of players a breather and demonstrated why he's a valued player in the 2nd XI. Rob Hay got the first goal, profiting from a goal mouth scramble and Chris Graveling slotted the second from a well worked short corner.
All in all, a good performance and we head towards our first league match with, if not exactly the taste of victory, then at least the taste of a couple goals.
Cambridge South Men's II 1 - 14 Blueharts II
Scorers: Jim Lockhart
The 2nds received a hockey lesson from Blueharts. The only consolations were:
- Lockhart scored a clinical goal from a textbook short corner routine. Greaves to Korstanje to Lockhart...Goal
- Will Benedikz pulled off many good saves and frequently dived in front of Blueharts's forwards to deny them shooting chances
- the defence were heroic, particularly Clark at sweeper
- the returning Ky Ho made one miraculous waist level stop on the line
- we all ran around alot, mostly chasing shadows
- Blueharts were quite nice blokes
- tea at the Hat and Feathers afterwards was excellent
- it was a sunny day
Let's hope the lesson taught us something to take into the league season.
Blueharts V 2 - 2 Cambridge South Men's III
H/T: 2 - 1
Scorers: Jack Chalk, John Benedikz
MoM: Jack Chalk for continually being a menace to the Blueharts backline and scoring a fantastic goal from a ridiculously tight angle. An honourable mention goes to Tom Harrison for dominating the midfield and a fantastic work rate
Cambridge South 3rd XI set off to play Blueharts 5ths with only five of last years regular starters and only nine players in total but put in a performance that bodes well for the rest of the season.
South started slowly and Blueharts deservedly took the lead after five minutes as the team attempted to gel together. South failed to pick up a long pass into their box and in the resulting confusion the ball was bundled into the back of the net, leaving keeper Mubashir Niaz stranded.
The goal jump-started South who then surged forward in search of an equaliser. As South kept pushing forward, driven well by centre half Tom Harrison, they created more and more chances. Then, after another strike on goal appeared to have been cleared away, Jack Chalk picked the ball up on the baseline and struck the ball from an extremely acute angle into the back of the Blueharts net.
Although South looked solid going forward the backline of Andrew Pounce, John Benedikz, debutant John Sharp and a borrowed player looked a little vulnerable and as legs tired towards the end of the half another ball into the box was not picked up and the was duly despatched into the bottom corner of the South goal.
South came out for the second half all guns blazing, pushing Blueharts back well into their own half. Strong passing by David Bridge down the left and a series of long dribbles down the right by James Pope kept Blueharts penned into their own box. Eventually Cambridge South forced a short corner off the foot of a defender. Benedikz pushed the ball out to Chalk who struck to the near post where it was deflected towards goal by Benedikz, only to be cleared for another short corner by a deliberate foot. The same corner routine occurred again only this time the ball was deflected over the line for 2-2.
South pressure continued for most the second half with Chalk and Wilco Dijkstra continuing to be thorns in the side of the Blueharts backline. They created several more chances, the closest being when a trademark Chalk run round the back of the defence could not quite pick out an unmarked Harrison on the penalty spot.
Once again legs tired and the South defence came under some pressure. This time thanks to some fantastic tackles by Sharp and Pounce, Blueharts failed to break through.
The final scoere of 2-2 reflected an even game in which South had the better chances and could easily have won.