Reports 12th February 2011
Men's 1sts beat March by 4 goals
Ladies' 2nds lose to Cambridge City
Cambridge South Men's I 4 - 0 March Town II
H/T: 3 - 0
Scorers: Graham McCulloch (4)
MoM: Tom Watson (Better than Garrett)
LoM: Jack Chalk (They seek him here they seek him there. Where the hell is he? Not at right back that's for sure. Special mention to Graham - there's no I in team but there is in McCulloch.)
South travelled up to March, hoping to put their promotion campaign back on track after a 2-1 reverse to Rutland the week before.
After a detailed team talk from skipper McCulloch (complete with undersized strategy board) South took to the pitch for the warmup. One particular unnamed South player decided at this point that the sandy pitch needed slickening up, and proceeded to, in his own way, give it a good watering......
South began the game the brighter, with some fizzing passes in the final third, with the duo of Phil and Tom contributing well to the team's new attacking flair. One such move found McCulloch in space in the D and he tucked the goal away to the keeper's left with aplomb.
After this promising start, South were determined not to let their focus slip, and after some excellent further play by Watson, they found themselves two up. Chasing a lost cause, Watson won the ball back off the opposition in their D, and, with everyone expecting the shot, played a delightful strong reverse stick pass (off the post) into the path of McCulloch, who gratefully finished from all of half a yard.
Further attacks came and went without reward, until some frantic fenland fouling led to a short corner. South's slick routine of the pass back to the taker led to a third for McCulloch. The irony of his pre-match words saying "lets play as a team" have not gone unnoticed!
At half time, the key message from the skipper was to keep the discipline up after a few concentration lapses almost let in March towards the end of the first period.
South began the second half in confident mood, and soon stretched their lead- that man McCulloch selfishly stealing the glory to make it four after another fine run and cutback from the game's star player Watson.
Despite a yellow card for Phil Crowhurst on his debut (for an early Valentines loving hand on the back of the opposition) South held out comfortably for the win- the gloss of which was put on by Chalk by a sublime aerial which surely put him into contention for MoM*...... and then taken away by the same player, with some more than regular ventures into areas which most right backs would call "the unknown", despite repeated calls from Eliot to "keep his discipline!"
Despite this however, South can be rightly proud of what was, in the end, a very comprehensive and professional victory, which should restore the confidence after last week's reverse. Well done to all......Rob who?!! (just kidding)
Team played: Steve Parker, Tom Watson, Dave Aston, George Wych, Mark Williams, Phil Crowhurst, Jack Chalk, Eliot Read, John Hawkes, James Cobbe, Graham McCulloch
Cambridge South Men's II 3 - 2 Ely City II
H/T: 2 - 0
Scorers: Richard Claes, Rob Barton (2)
MoM: Bhavdeep Virdi (Good play and unprecedented avoiding of any of the 4 cards given in the game)
LoM: Sanjay Agarwala (Missing every last bit of the action)
Although riding high on 4 consecutive wins, Cambridge South 2s knew they had to pull out all the stops to secure a win over Ely 2s, who - until recent reversals - had reigned supremely at the top of the league. Gamely rising to the challenge, the team started out brightly, with the midfield trio of Rich Claes, Tristen Knight and Russell Johnson (on loan from the 1s, while recovering from a recent cold) harrying Ely sufficiently to keep play well away from the home goal. Scant minutes had passed when Tristen played a pin-point pass to Rob Barton, who’d slipped behind the defence, took the ball around the goalie and calmly buried it into the gaping goal.
As the home side kept up the pressure, it’s wasn’t too long until the lead got doubled. A South short corner saw Mariano Rosenzvaig and Bhav Virdi test out the pads, before Rich’s strike was deflected in by Rob - always mindful of Goal Kings. As the half proceeded, Ely finally found some composure and started to exert some pressure of their own, winning a few short corners. Conceding nothing more than a bloody lip for Ron Oren, South found themselves going into half-time with a healthier lead than the skipper’s face.
In the second half, South again were the faster team out of the blocks, taking the game immediately to the visitors’ defence. This time, when the ball fell to Rich after a slightly sloppy moment in the Ely D, he dispatched the ball far enough from Rob to get the goal himself. To Ely’s credit, they did not crumble, but actually stepped up their game and started to press South back. Soon enough, their efforts paid off with a goal of their own: 3-1 and Ely fancied themselves back in the game.
As South attacked again, straight from push-back, an umpire’s decision was contentious enough for one of the visitors to voice his disapproval. Being shown a yellow card, he - somewhat foolishly - carried on in the same vein, only to see the card turn red - the first one most players ever saw. Feeling hard done by, this only spurred Ely on, though: the remaining 10 fought like lions to salvage something of their day. Credit where credit’s due: not only did they keep South away from their goal, they even managed to get a second score and fancied themselves back in the game.
Eventful as the game had been, it wasn’t over yet. One man and one goal up, South found itself surprisingly embattled by a resurgent Ely side, when their own ranks faltered. Mariano’s hot South-American blood flared up in the guise of a few unwise remarks, which earned him a card of his own (mercifully the lighter coloured one). Ely, however, decided that numerical equality was not to their liking and retaliated with lip of their own and a second player forced to admire the goal from behind; which he promptly attempted to refurbish with his stick. As the final minutes ticked by, South managed to hold on to their lead, and tempers, to get away with the three points.
Although at times too close to comfort, it was a good win in the end. Once again, South showed that they can play excellent hockey and, more importantly, that they have the grit to battle when it’s needed. With one rival dispatched of, the team will be looking to keep this form in upcoming matches and notch up a few more points.
Team played: Shahbaz Ali, Andy Passmore, Ian Glover, Dave Monck, Ron Oren, Russell Johnson, Tristen Knight, Tim Clapp, Mariano Rosenzvaig, Bhavdeep Virdi, Richard Claes, Rob Barton
Cambridge South Men's III 1 - 3 March Town III
H/T: 0 - 2
Scorers: Dom Nelson
MoM: Jonny Deacon (A constant menace; sprightly and effective.)
A superior March team were eventually able to make this tell through three well taken goals, to the home side's one. CSouth had chances, and possession, but a combination of poor finishing, and sloppy passing meant that March were able to control the game.
CSouth didnt ever give up, epitomised by Stu Creed's battling performance in central midfield, and had many excellent breakaway moves, only lacking the final killer ball, or telling touch in the D. Nish Patel was lively, Dom Nelson heroic, and Chris Collinson solid.
And about five CSouth players picked up or exacerbated injuries. Which didnt help.
Dom Nelson's goal in the second half was a good 'un, involving a shimmy through the defence and decisive finish, to give some hope.
But it was not to be.
The next two games, against teams in the lowere echelons of 5NW will be crucial.
Team played: Chris Collinson, John Benedikz, Ian Evans, Dom Nelson, Nishant Patel, Eric Critchley, Stu Creed, Jonny Deacon, Wilco Dijkstra, Tom South, Paul South, Richard Yardley, John Greaves
Cambridge South Ladies' II 0 - 6 Cambridge City Ladies IV
H/T: 0 - 4
Scorers: None
Awaiting Report
Team played: Louise Tonkin, Louise Gutteridge, Tracey Hunter, Pip Noon, Ingrid Perez, Ash Price, Jo Read, Liz Harte, Sam Cooper, Siren Dabb, Leonie Dickman
