Reports 21st February 2009

Men's 1st XI take a close-fought 4-3 win against City of Peterborough IV

Men's 2nd XI hit their stride with a 5-0 shut-out against Newmarket I

Men's 3rd XI play well but go down 4-2 to promotion-chasing Wisbech Town III

Men's 4th XI fill their boots in a 14-1 drubbing of City of Peterborough VIII

Ladies' 1st XI suffer after a three week break with a 4-1 defeat to Cambridge University 3

 

City of Peterborough Men's IV 3 - 4 Cambridge South Men's I

H/T: 2 - 2

Scorers: Keith Hewitt (3), Chris Baker
MoM: Keith Hewitt

On a fine, spring-like day which was more or less perfect for hockey, South recovered much of their equilibrium after last week's sobering reverse at the hands of Ely. Peterborough provided stiff opposition, however, just as they had done pre-Christmas, and it was a roller-coaster ride for players and spectators alike as an open and entertaining game yielded thrills aplenty.

South started smoothly, benefiting from a little more time and space than seven days previously, and some cool possession hockey gave skipper Chris Baker an early chance which he chided himself for not burying. He was nevertheless at the hub of several disciplined moves involving Al Sinclair and Rob Garrett and, together with the wide-ranging Matt Readman, he enabled South to gain early control over the midfield.

An unaccountable attack of the collywobbles suddenly set in, however, and Peterborough seized their chance. After Steve Parker had just saved a defensive deflection, the hosts banged the ball in from outside the D and found a man unmarked two yards out, who first-timed it in for a 1-0 lead on nine minutes. A reversed cross then left the South defence standing and Parker had to kick a free shot away to his right before, moments later, getting down well to thwart Peterborough's first short corner. Chris Graveling's clearance bought only temporary respite, however, as the hosts won a second short from which the strike narrowly evaded the right-hand post.

Though Russell Johnson unfeasibly chased down a long ball in the right corner, South remained as nervous as a fluffy pink rabbit and a porous-looking defence missed its tackles, leaving a man on the spot to hit just wide with time on his side. Peterborough repeatedly opened up a Bermuda Triangle on the South side of the twenty-five, squaring the ball to unmarked attackers powering forward, and Parker again had to blunt a well-struck shot as help inexplicably dematerialised.

The pace slackened but, after Baker had given the compass a good shake, South eventually began to reorientate themselves and better control led to promising forays by Richard Morgan, Baker and Johnson up one channel and Baker, Garrett and the ebullient Keith Hewitt up another. Further assistance from Johnson set up Sinclair, who forced the home keeper to stick the ball away for a long corner.

A failed clearance gave South their first short, which resulted in a shot and a follow-up, both blocked on the ground, and the keeper was quickly smelling the turf again as South's pace up the left allowed Hewitt and Johnson to get in at the business end. No-one could lift the ball the necessary eighteen inches or so on this occasion but, after a further positive passage of play in which Baker, Sinclair, Garrett and Readman were multiply prominent, Sinclair's drive in gave Hewitt the opportunity to atone for an earlier miss by flicking in off the underside of the bar for a deserved equaliser.

South then spoiled the good work by handing the ball on a plate to a pair of strikers just inside the D and one of these unleashed a cannon of a shot which Parker flew to his right to block superbly. Unfortunately, the ricochet fell handily for the home side and the resulting tap-in, with South's defence remote, swung the pendulum once more. The disaster of a two-goal deficit loomed as Peterborough once more found unmarked space inside the circle but Parker, with the odds stacked against him, closed the shooter down and diverted the ball away to safety.

Escaping from this potential black hole, Nick Young funnelled the ball up to Hewitt, who rampaged up the left wing like an emu on heat, winning a long corner from which the always direct and determined Alex Pooles fed Baker right in the slot. The skipper made no mistake this time, beating the keeper off an outstretched blocker hand to level the scores after thirty minutes.

Both sides created openings in the last five minutes before the interval, with South vacillating over a short corner, Peterborough drawing a fine glove save from Parker which Young was on hand to clear, and Johnson squaring the ball across with the keeper down, only to see a home defender intercept at the last moment. Pooles and Sinclair again breached the Peterborough D, allowing Readman to demonstrate his burgeoning attacking propensities with a nicely-weighted flick which the keeper did well to glove away. The half ended with Baker chasing back hard to dispossess the Peterborough winger before reminding the troops in no uncertain terms that the match was very much in the balance.

First blood after the break went to South after they had won several key battles through sheer force of will. Graveling was at the heart of matters, halting an advance round the byline, making a critical interception and then putting up a none-too-shabby aerial which ultimately led to a strong burst into the circle from Johnson and a second goal, this time from a very narrow angle, from a delighted Hewitt. Hewitt was then seen to advantage in defence, extricating himself from a maze of Peterborough players with some nifty stickwork, before Baker stubbornly rode three heavy tackles to release Johnson, who again tormented the hosts' back line with his deceptive pace.

Hewitt had a golden – no, platinum – opportunity for his hat-trick when a GPS-guided pass up the right from Morgan found an unmarked Readman, who consummately cut out the keeper and served up the perfect assist. But the goalposts somewhat unfairly moved five metres to the right at the last minute, leaving an anguished Hewitt to put the ball into the back fence with clinical precision.

Peterborough almost seemed galvanised by this narrow squeak and it needed strong commitment from Baker, intercepting and tackling hard, and Readman, who hounded a man into touch, to keep South on top. Graveling and Young nervelessly swept the ball upfield but the home side returned and, after Morgan had made an initial clearance, South got caught in possession with the law breathing down their necks and, from the resulting short, Peterborough made it 3-3 as the ball was jinked past two defenders and fired home via a defensive stick.

Hewitt immediately broke forward but was blanked off, sensibly opting to shuttle back to Young, who put in a super cross-field pass to Johnson which almost split the defence. A five-man move involving Young, Readman and Morgan, who got the ball through to Garrett and then Johnson, augured well for South but Peterborough kept men high, stretching the visiting defence, and a big hit upfield found a lone attacker with time to spare. Taking the ball right, he made across the top of the D but Parker, seeing the danger early, matched him stride for stride and timed the challenge perfectly, blocking enough of the shot for the retreating Young to clear.

In the next slice of action, Leo Tomita heroically held up a pair of forwards when marooned in no-man's-land and prevented a direct shot. Reassessing swiftly and spotting Parker hovering close, Peterborough then tried a lob which would have just slipped in under the bar but the South keeper anticipated astutely and went full astern to bat the ball parabolically out of harm's way with his blocker.

After a fourth short where Hewitt got one shot in and a second was blocked, South played some good tic-tac hockey before again succumbing to a long ball which a marked attacker in the D managed to control. Under close attention, he manoeuvred successfully and made room for a hard flick, which to South's relief hit the outside of the post.

Almost immediately, South hit back to take the decisive advantage, with Pooles again finding space on the left and cracking the ball into the circle, where Hewitt had timed his run to perfection so that he was able to produce a carbon copy of the hosts' opening goal. With fifteen minutes to go, though, nothing was certain and there was always a risk that Peterborough, with their forwards well up, would create further opportunities. This they did after fifty-nine minutes when, after Readman had pivoted neatly out of trouble, a break set a man free at the top left of the circle, but Parker was again was well-positioned to make a big save, with Young clearing. Garrett and Pooles tackled fiercely before Baker, whose speed and accuracy of distribution in the second half were top class, again set up Pooles and Readman to feed Johnson, who was braked at the last moment by a decisive tackle.

As the tension ramped up, Peterborough shot past the post, then had three attempts at goal before firing wide as Parker put the frighteners on. Then it was South's turn as Johnson expertly pulled back a ball from the byline to Baker, who nearly converted. Garrett, tackling back with interest, almost put the icing on the cake with a good reverse which the keeper sticked away, while Sinclair, receiving a ball from the all-action Baker, was caught slightly off balance and shot wide. Play switched again, with Peterborough surging into the circle despite stout resistance from Morgan; two swift shots slid past the left post and there was a strong element of fast-forward as both sides struggled to tip the scales.

Sinclair and Readman earned cautionary words from the umpires for some politely philosophical observations to no-one in particular and, as the match entered the final five minutes, last man Tomita brought off a crucial tackle on a Peterborough lurker, winning the ball firmly and snagging the attacker's stick with his own for good measure.

The home side kept digging but South were determined not to give it away, grimly redoubling their efforts in a fine display of teamwork. Garrett worked his socks off, executing a reverse block and two thudding tackles, while Hewitt continued to rampage and Baker, Readman, Young and Graveling all held on grittily under pressure to secure a turnaround victory which reflected a snappier and more organised second-half performance.

This was an important win for South after some post-Christmas disappointments and means that they are now fifth in the table. Two sides below South would leapfrog them if they won their outstanding games but only seven points separate the seven teams in third to ninth positions. In the fixtures to come, continuity, cohesion and the type of determination seen in this game will be essential if South are to break clear of the pack chasing Ely and March. A challenging series of matches which will test the side's resolve and organisation to the full lies ahead.

Team played: Steve Parker, Leo Tomita, Chris Graveling, Nick Young, Russell Johnson, Chris Baker (c), Rob Garrett, Matt Readman, Keith Hewitt, Rich Morgan, Al Sinclair, Alex Pooles

 

Cambridge South Men's II 5 - 0 Newmarket Men's I

H/T: 3 - 0

Scorers: Rob Barton (4), Mark Pears
MoM: Dom Nelson - Herculean in his 2nd XI debut
LoM: George Wych - the wrong time/wrong opposition debacle isn't forgotten

What a performance, what a victory, what an all-round triumph! Like Hannibal's army crossing the Alps to ravish the plains of Italy, South's troops swept down on their helpless victims, scattering all before them. Brandishing their own lethal vanguard (Arsenal and Rob B), solid centre (captain Kev and Matty K) and pachyderm rearguard (Dom and Dave M, trumpeting loudly as ever), South exerted a suitably Carthaginian degree of tactical and strategic dominance over their opponents from the start.

The opening period of this Punic struggle set the pattern for the game: some good individual displays of skill from Newmarket allowed them to make thrusts into the South half but superior organisation and team play from the Southerners, under the transcendent genius (nem. con.) of Kev's Hannibalistic generalship, gave the home team a platform to exert control over the game.

After ten minutes of this thrust, parry and maneouvre, South were still seeking a way through the Newmarket back line. Adopting the Carthaginian general's famous motto, aut viam inveniam aut faciam (although of course Hannibal would have spoken it in Punic, not Latin), South resolved to either find a way, or make one. The breakthrough duly came from a South surge into the D where the ball was picked up by Rob Barton who, with one of his signature falling-reverse-stick-sweep-hits (™), skilfully planted the ball into the goal.

General Kev's tactical master plan to achieve final victory in the field, as explained on his pre-game whiteboard.

Liberated by the opening score, a period of expansive play followed from South capped by a second goal. Emulating Hannibal's classic pincer envelopment of the Roman legions at Cannae, South fell back on their own lines, drawing in the Newmarket centre before launching a counterattack from the flanks, leaving their hapless opponents stranded as the attacking Southerners passed beyond and behind them. From the left, the ball was worked out rapidly from Ron Oren via Dave Aston to Mark Pears, who fired the ball towards the far post where the lurking Rob craftily turned it home.

The third goal that would seal the game for South proved elusive, as Newmarket regrouped to show that they still posed a threat. In the South goal, Lino Di Lorenzo was called into action with a smart save as a Newmarket player found himself with time and space in the area. South's hold on the game was sustained through hard work in midfield from Dave Stock and Tim Clapp (according to the astute observation of his infant son, Charlie, at pitchside "Daddy play hockey run really fast") out wide and Matt Kern in the centre, with particular accolades due to Dom Nelson, showing himself to be a titan in the middle of the pitch in his first game for the 2nds.

As half time approached, South finally gave themselves clear blue (green?) water. Neil Sneade received the ball at right back and, overlapping with Tim on the wing, carried the ball past two Newmarket defenders before cracking a pass into the top of the D. Arsenal, having got himself in front of the last man, nutmegged his opponent with a deft touch before firing past the stranded keeper.

With confidence coursing through the side, the second half followed a similar template. Initially though, South struggled to regain their pre-interval momentum and Newmarket were having at least their fair share of the play. The Cat was again given the opportunity to demonstrate his cougar-like reactions, racing off his line to smother an attack and, on another occasion, beating a Newmarket attacker to the ball near the edge of his D to make a firm kicked clearance. It was midway through the second period before South, having ridden out Newmarket's surge, saw Rob complete his hattrick and definitively settle the outcome.

A stoppage due to an injury (thankfully not serious) to a Newmarket player, following a spectacular somersault over a typically unyielding tackle from Dom, allowed Kev to quickly gather the troops and call for a last push to up the tempo. The team duly responded and the final twelve minutes were played out almost completely in Newmarket's half, with sustained pressure in and around the D eventually resulting in Rob adding his fourth, and the team's fifth, goal of the day.

So, a most satisfying performance and a commensurate result played out under blue skies on a balmy, spring-like day: five goals and a clean sheet, what more could anyone ask. It only remained to head off to The Hat and Feathers for a well earned post-match pint and a bite, there to reminisce on the excellence of the team's play and the comedy of the Monckosaurus's tumble on his arse.

Team played: Lino Di Lorenzo, Ron Oren, Dave Monck, Neil Sneade, Dominic Nelson, Dave Aston, Matt Kern, Kevin Rowland (c), Tim Clapp, Dave Stock, Mark Pears, Rob Barton

 

Wisbech Town Men's III 4 - 2 Cambridge South Men's III

H/T: 3 - 0

Scorers: Andy Lewis, Rob Garrett
MoM: Stuart Creed - heroic return from vacation: midfield dynamo

A narrow defeat to high flying Wisbech was no disgrace, although the first few minutes looked ominous as the home team poured forward not allowing South a sniff of the ball for minutes on end. Two first half goals were just reward, one from a well worked short corner routine, the other from open play and rapid passing to prise open the defence. South did have their moments but few real chances, with John Greaves unlucky to miss out from a rebound after a Stuart Creed effort was blocked. Andy Lewis went narrowly wide from a short corner, although he compensated with an excellent long range effort to pull a goal back soon after half time.

The South defence had to work hard but stuck to the task, with John Benedikz showing the way with numerous decisive clearances. The midfield partnership of Stu and Rob Garrett were at the core of most of the South attacks and both had chances to score. A third Wisbech goal threatened to kill the game, but typical 3rd team grit and determination kept us in it, and a Rob Garrett solo effort ending with a shot from the narrowest of angles set up a grandstand finish. Garrett nearly got another when he just failed to convert a sweeping pass from Greaves into an equaliser. Unfortunately it was Wisbech who scored the final goal to run out deserved winners.

The home team's superior team play, fast reactions and accurate long passing were somewhat more edifying than their language and constant protests at the umpires. South didnt sink to that level, which kept the game enjoyable. It was good to see a significantly better 3rd team performance compared to the home fixture earlier in the season and a continuation of this standard will give us a good chance of getting the two or three more wins needed to be sure of remaining in 5NW for next season.

Team played: Shahbaz Ali, Ian Glover, John Benedikz, James Lee, John Sharp, Wilco Dijkstra, Shahzad Ali, Stuart Creed, Rob Garrett, Andy Lewis, John Greaves (c)

 

Cambridge South Men's IV 14 - 1 City of Peterborough Men's VIII

H/T: 9 - 0

Scorers: Rob Barton (6), Dom Nelson (3), Dan Schofield (2), James Hodge, James Raikes (pen), Shyam Sadasivan
MoM: David Bridge - for his unerring marking of Peterborough right winger, one of their better players
LoM: Ky Ho - for giving the MoM to a defender and not to one of the forwards in a thirteen-goal victory

South were weary playing a team they had lost to 6-4 earlier in the season. It was a sluggish start by South but after Dan Schofield got the first goal, the opposition's young heads seemed to drop.

The second half was less structured but South continued to score and made 14-0 before Peterborough got one back with five minutes to go, with Peterborough being the better team in the last five minutes.

Team played: Phil Le Gouais, Ky Ho, David Bridge, James Raikes, Martin Grove, Dave Aston, James Hodge (c), Shyam Sadasivan, Dom Nelson, Dan Schofield, Rob Barton

 

Cambridge University Ladies' III 4 - 1 Cambridge South Ladies' I

H/T: 3 - 1

Scorers: Tash Cox
MoM: Cassie Woodfin and Claire Sherwood

Cambridge South Ladies 1sts finally got some hockey in this week. Unfortunately, three weeks free from hockey told as South struggled to regain the team spirit that shone through at Ely in their previous game (back in January!).

The Uni were fresh from varsity and had clearly gelled as a team over the season, showing good speed and team awareness in their attacks. South broke down attacks but the Uni scored early on. Good use of the width from Nicky and Tash saw Tash through on goal to push her saved shot past the keeper. This lifted South and there was some great hockey, testing the Uni defence who tended to over commit on the attack.

The fitness of the Uni team showed and, after persistent attacking, were able to score two more before half time. South have had it tough and I have to say although it wasn't the prettiest game we really dug deep to stop the Uni scoring. Cassie made some wonderful saves and Claire was ready for anything at the top of the D, earning them the joint lady of the match. If the weather had not been so harsh in previous weeks we would have had a consistent team for the last 6 weeks! Things may have been different… We have five games to go, still plenty to play for. The weather was nice.

Team played: Cassie Woodfin, Claire Sherwood, Ellie Raffan, Tash Cox, Liles Dee, Caroline Dent, Alice Hug, Alice Wall, Hayley Sharpe (c), Nicky Bareham, Julie Sadler, Georgie Hurford, Rhiannan Williams