Reports 13th November 2004

Men's 1st XI are beaten 2-1 by St Ives I

Men's 2nd XI win 3-1 against St Ives IV

Men's 3rd XI draw 1-1 with St Ives V

Men's Veteran XI suffer a 5-1 reverse against Cambridge City Veterans

Ladies' 1st XI draw 1-1 with Peterborough Town III

Mixed XI lose 1-0 to a Jesus College student team

 

St Ives Men's I 2 - 1 Cambridge South Men's I

H/T: 0 - 1

Scorers: Jim Thorpe

So near yet so far was the verdict once more as South followed up last week's one goal defeat by Nomads with another nail-biter at St Ives on Saturday. There were real hopes that South, who played with confidence and discipline in the first thirty-five minutes, could finally string two good halves together and register their first victory but these were dashed six minutes from time when St Ives pounced on a loose ball in the D and gratefully buried the winner to claim the spoils.

The return of Rob Garrett at left-back and Andy Rose at left half gave skipper Jim Thorpe more options for both defence and attack and South set off positively, with Garrett - fresh from a stunning photo-shoot in last week's Cambridge Evening News - able to make several forays from a deep position. Rob Hay, who combined well with Chris Baker and the inventive Doug Leckie on the right, also set in train a sequence of solid moves up the flank and, after Steve Parker in goal had sticked away a crisply-hit short in the fourth minute, South built up the pressure inside the St Ives twenty-five. Hits were effectively ringed, forcing the defence into suspect passes, and both Rose and Ryan Thomas were close to latching onto through balls from the well-supplied midfield.

South's first short arrived after a raised hit in the eleventh minutes but Leckie's shot found a defender and was safely cleared. Leckie and Baker, benefiting from Chris Graveling's exemplary tackling and Hay's astute distribution, showed plenty of ground could be gained without risk by working a series of copybook triangles, but John Taylor and the hard-working Thomas - earlier dragged untimely from his bed in a complicated saga involving college porters, clocks going back and a missing hangover - just failed to apply the finishing touch.

Taylor, employing a nifty reverse-stick tackle in defence, and Garrett's easy pace nullified any threat at the rear and South continued in the ascendancy, winning a second short on twenty minutes. Thorpe controlled the push-out himself and struck convincingly home but the score remained 0-0 as the umpire decreed the ball had not left the circle. Eschewing an appeal to the European Court of Justice, the captain took the law into his own hands five minutes later when, from another penalty corner, he produced an unstoppable self-styled "Thorpedo" which skimmed the keeper's stacked pads and rattled the backboards with a vengeance.

Garrett had the opportunity to double the lead on twenty-six minutes but, perhaps confused by the plethora of goalposts from different sports, just slid the ball wide of the set that really mattered. St Ives were reduced to ten men for a period and, though Baker, Leckie and Thomas had caused havoc up the right wing, the home side broke out dangerously and got a man free down the left despite Graveling's close attentions. Thankfully, Parker was in the perfect position to make a fine diving block, which he followed up by defusing a shifty wobbling bouncer and then extending his legs almost telescopically to pile the pads high and deny a lone forward to the left of the D. Garrett filched the clearance away to Rose and Matt Murray herded up the right but, after South's fourth penalty corner came to naught, St Ives renewed the pressure. Parker cleared elegantly and decisively to the wing but moments later had a narrow escape as a fierce shot pinged off his right-hand post. South ended the half on top, though, with Leckie particularly on song and the team reaping the advantage of greater concentration and more controlled possession.

After the break, St Ives returned to full strength and, with captain Thorpe forced into the role of touchline general owing to a popliteal strain (and not, as widely rumoured, gout and incipient old age), South seemed to lose a little cohesion. There was repeated congestion in the visitors' D and both Baker and Richard Morgan had to get stuck in with no-mess, no-fuss clearances. A second home short on forty-two minutes was duffed, with Garrett and Leckie relieving the pressure, but a third on forty-four minutes boded ill for South when a deft slip to the left opened up the defence big-time. But Parker narrowed the angle on the rush and spread himself, making a superb pad save to deny St Ives the equaliser.

Things quickly swung back South's way as Leckie sent up a precise aerial, Thomas ran hard to sniff any advantages and Garrett and François Lemoine shuttled the ball swiftly up the left, drawing in Rose, Baker and Murray. A fifth South short after forty-eight minutes saw Baker's shot temporarily camouflaged by the keeper before Thomas's attempt at a work-around failed. By this stage, though, St Ives had begun to create ominous gaps in midfield and, despite a number of eagle-eyed interceptions by Graveling, a thoughtful reverse pass slipped through and St Ives won their fourth short. Switching left, they then dribbled right and inexorably worked their way into a position from where a well-placed forward made it 1-1 with a hard flick into the roof of the net.

More free space for St Ives ensued, and Parker did well to thwart a nasty spinning deflection and protect his goal as Garrett raced across to cover. Then Lemoine, as throughout causing problems with clever one-time passes, won a corner for South on fifty-six minutes but, missing Thorpe - still an anxious onlooker - the attempt fizzled out. Garrett's speed, which allowed him to recover for second-bite tackles even when seemingly passed, bought some time as South regrouped, with Lemoine pressing hard on the left and Taylor aggressive as ever on the right.

But St Ives continued to look menacing and, after Parker had kicked to safety from an awkward deflection and Baker's run from Rose's feed had been stopped dead in its tracks, the home forwards again manoeuvred themselves into a prime spot a few yards out. A rasping flick from the left was brilliantly sticked away by Parker to maintain the status quo but, with six minutes to go, a harmless-looking ball into the D somehow escaped South's defensive sticks and a home attacker was presented with the easiest of chances to ram in the go-ahead goal past the helpless Parker.

In a frantic final period of play, an X-rated melee in the St Ives circle - in which it appeared that the home goalie might well be bundled over the line in lieu of the ball - ended all square without a show of cards or police charges being pressed, while Baker's shot from South's seventh penalty corner was half-blocked before agonisingly looping inches wide of the post. So, despite much cajoling, the deus resolutely refused to climb out of the machina and St Ives just managed to hang on.

South, though disappointed at the last again, knew they could have won this game and can take heart from the fact that some promising units are developing within the team. However, there are going to be no easy victories in the higher division and the side will repeatedly need to maintain its collective focus and show total commitment for the full seventy minutes to start earning some reward.

 

Cambridge South Men's II 3 - 1 St Ives Men's IV

H/T: 2 - 0

Scorers: Andy Lewis (2), Alex Pooles
MoM: Andy Lewis - a constant menace to the opposition

This was a must win game against a team just below us in League Div 5NW. Cambridge South dominated throughout, and made just enough of the pressure and possession to ensure a comfortable victory. Man of the Match Andy Lewis grabbed the opener through shear perseverance after initial efforts rebounded off defenders. Alex Pooles poached a second from an unsuspecting defender to slam the ball into the net joyously.

St Ives, mainly using their playmaker in central defence who was used to higher league hockey, came back into the game after half time with a quickly taken free hit near the home D as the defence was still moving in to position. South didn't allow this to deflect them from their expansive attacking game, and were able to get a deserved third goal as midfield rock Raphael Mis played an incisive pass to that man Lewis, who deftly interchanged passes with the near post to slot in his second from close in.

All the home team played well, with attacks from all angles, and well worked set pieces from corners and sidelines. Many other chances were created, but they were either saved by the huge St Ives keeper, or went narrowly wide.

 

St Ives Men's V 1 - 1 Cambridge South Men's III

H/T: 0 - 1

Scorers: Wilco Dijkstra

Those that took part on Saturday's match will have mixed feelings. It was a match that perhaps we should have won, but it was one that could easily have been lost.

Early exchanges were fairly equal between the teams, though Lino Di Lorenzo was rarely threatened in goal thanks to a solid defence from Ian Evans, Phil Le Gouais and Steve Morrell. As the first half progressed South managed to string together some more probing attacks. David Bridge (our erstwhile captain in the absence of Rodney and Andy Pounce) was linking up well with Wilco Dijkstra down the left hand side, while Chris Clegg and Andy Kennedy were providing good ball to Sam Carr through the centre who used his pace well playing for the first time at centre forward.

The real break through, however, came when a St Ives player had to leave the field due to a close encounter with a hockey ball and a forehead (everyone on the pitch felt the pain on impact!) A brief period with an extra man led to South putting a lot of pressure on the St Ives goal. The goal itself came from a free hit just outside the area. Wilco's carefully timed sweeping hit placed the ball comfortably in the back of the goal. Shortly after it was very nearly two.

Tim Gass took the ball to line and managed to flick it back to Sam Carr's stick. Sam only failed to find the back of the net due to a jumbled mess with a defender and the St Ives keeper. The chaos led to South being awarded a penalty flick and Will Marston bravely stepped up to do the honours. There was nothing much wrong with the flick, but unfortunately the keeper managed to get himself in the way of the ball and the goal.

Undeterred, South continued to attack well and we were aided in our quest by the fresh legs of George Bucknall coming on at centre forward.

The second half saw both sides putting together some good passing manoeuvres and South's defence were put under more pressure, enduring several short corners. Lino had to come well out of his area to make a good save fairly early on. On our side Will Marston and Chris Clegg were beginning to show some classy stick skills which led to pressure at the opposite end. One of the defences had to give out eventually and unfortunately it was South's - a scrappy goal that went in off the heel of Lino (not that he could do much about it!).

With the scores at one  piece the match opened up even more - Tim Gass and Sam Carr were linking up on the right hand side, but so were St Ives. South fans must have had their eyes closed as a last minute short corner was awarded to St Ives. The St Ives striker was allowed three attempts at striking the ball, but fortunately he hit air on the first two occasions and then sent the third attempt wide.

There was barely time to draw breath before South were awarded a short corner at the other end. The whistle signalled the end of the match so we knew it was now or never. All of the team, save the keeper, lined up around the area and a fairy tale ending nearly ensued as Chris Clegg sent a shot past the goal keeper. Unfortunately it was cleared off the line by a defender's reverse stick onto a Cambridge foot. Overall it was South who had the best chances, but for a few agonising seconds it could have been St Ives that won.

 

Cambridge City Men's Veterans 5 - 1 Cambridge South Men's Veterans

Scorers: Smith

No report

 

Peterborough Town Ladies' III 1 - 1 Cambridge South Ladies' I

H/T: 0 - 1

Scorers: Tash Cox
MoM: Cassie Ragnauth

South traveled away to Peterborough this weekend to take on their 3rds, a team that came down from the league above last season and has enjoyed several easy wins so far this year.

After the usual false starts in trying to find the ground, South managed to start with nearly eleven on the pitch and were soon up to their full complement. This was always going to be a tough match and South had several members playing out of their usual position, all of whom did extremely well. Peterborough pressed hard from the start and it was a few minutes before South managed to make any meaningful forward breaks. However, they kept going and the defence always seemed to be in control, despite absorbing a lot of pressure.

South gradually worked their way into the game and had a couple of good chances, before going one up after about twenty minutes. A good ball out of defence by left back Caroline Bucknall was picked up by the forwards and after Peterborough cleared from the D once, right wing Rosie Dias put the ball back in and it was collected by centre forward Tash Cox who scored with a neat shot. South then kept things tight at the back and were happy to go into the break ahead.

In the second half, Peterborough piled on the pressure and all those in defence were kept extremely busy. Keeper Cassie Ragnauth made save after save and everyone at the back worked extremely hard to keep clearing the ball. South had to defend a number of short corners, once of which included a lifted shot that was turned away expertly by Caroline Bucknall. South had a few of their own chances as well and could have scored again but bad luck and a couple of Peterborough feet kept them out.

Five minutes before the end, Peterborough finally forced the ball home to draw level. They kept pressing for the winner but good defending by South kept them out and the final score was probably the right result, although South were a bit disappointed not to have held out for the win.

Special mentions must go to sweeper Sue Snape who kept playing through a back injury and Jo Read who played left half for the first time and had an excellent match. The player of the match was Cassie for her superb performance in goal, watched by husband Chris who had picked a good match to come along to.

 

Southerners (Mixed Team) 0 - 1 Jesus College (Sunday 14th November)

H/T: 0 - 1

Scorers:

South lost out narrowly against a fit students side (which included sometime South players Nick Wong and Ian Evans), in an open, attacking game, which strangely was devoid of many true goal-scoring chances. This was due to the excellent work by both defences, who made numerous clean tackles to end dangerous situations before the shot could come in.

The only goal of the game was scored by Jesus, midway through the first half. Following the breakdown of a South attack, the ball was worked up to a forward on the halfway line. From there, he dribbled neatly past two South tackles, before dispatching a solid cross-shot into the far corner, that South keeper Cassie Ragnauth had little chance with. Hard on Cassie, who had been left utterly exposed for the shot, as she looked in total control with the other efforts that Jesus sent her way.

South looked to up the tempo for the remainder of the first half, and came close to fashioning an equaliser with Raph Mis and Stu Creed bursting from midfield to add support to forwards Andy Lewis and Tash Cox. However, a Jesus stick was always on hand to put pressure on, and few moves resulted in clean chances to test Jesus's keeper.

Throughout the game, South's best moves were coming from combinations involving centre-back Mark Freer, wide midfielders Gemma Thomas and Nicki Sutton, feeding the ball on up to hard-work line-leader Tash Cox. Despite winning a number of short corners, South could never quite find the killer touch, and despite a nervous last few minutes for the students, they held on to claim their victory.

Man of the match really has to go to the Jesus sweeper, Paddy, the bane of the South forward line, whose personal count of interceptions and tackles must have been staggering. For South, star performers were Jodee Davis and Rupert Webb, impressively solid at full-backs.