Reports 5th February 2011

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Men's 1sts lose to Rutland

Men's 2nds win again!

Men's 3rds lose to Spalding

Men's 4ths beat Bourn by walkover

Ladies' 1sts lose to Huntingdon

Ladies' 2nds beat Market Deeping

Cambridge South Men's I 1 - 2 Rutland II

H/T: 0 - 1

Scorers: Graham McCulloch
MoM: Steve Parker (Special mentions to Dave Aston for 'having learnt not to go into the oppositions D', and Jon Hawkes for his sublime aerial - and for bravely playing on despite suffering from a nasty spot on his nostril.)
LoM: Rob Garrett (To abandon a team once mid-season may be regarded as a misfortune, but to do so twice is pure carelessness)

CSHC 1st XI suffered a disappointing setback, losing to Rutland 2nd XI by 2 goals to 1. South fielded a strong team, albeit lacking erstwhile skipper Rob Garrett who has callously dumped his team and gone to America but including a return from superstar Al Sinclair.

The match was evenly contested, with South matching Rutland’s pace and skill throughout and probably creating more chances overall but just lacking in that final pass / shot to score an open play goal.

Rutland scored first when, after a passage of dominance, one of their forwards found half a yard of space to turn and shoot from the penalty spot and the Away team went into the second half 1-0 up. South rallied at half time and came back with a goal of their own for a superb short corner routine played back to the injector (new skipper Graham McCulloch) who deftly applied the finish. However, hopes of a recovery and victory were dashed when Rutland scored from a short corner themselves, the ball was slipped left and then a powerful strike (which looked suspiciously high when it crossed the line) put South 2-1 down.

South redoubled their efforts in the last 10 minutes but could not force an equaliser. Result elsewhere mean that promotion hopes are still high as we remain 2nd in the Division but on the day the better team won.

Team played: Steve Parker, Dave Aston, George Wych, Nick Bristowe, Al Sinclair, Jack Chalk, Mark Williams, Eliot Read, John Hawkes, Simon Ta, Graham McCulloch

Cambridge South Men's II 3 - 0 Market Deeping II

H/T: 0 - 0

Scorers: Dave Monck, Rob Barton (2)
MoM: Tom Watson (For overall good, energetic play)
LoM: Bhavdeep Virdi (For talking himself into a yellow card and arguing with both his captains)

Cambridge South M2 travelled to Market Deeping on a very windy but not so cold Saturday morning. Captain Ron was travelling with the team although he had a bad hamstring. Rest of the team looked quite fit. Dave Monck lost his way and took us into a residential area for retired people. When we did reach The Voyager School (where the match was hosted), it looked like the London Olympics aquatic centre rather than a school.

Voyager School ready for 2012

The match started at a brisk pace where the Market Deeping side didn’t look like they were 11th in the league table. They were passing well and some of the runs from their flanks resulted in early penalty corners against South. Shahbaz sprung quick into action and his reflexes saved South from the first 10 minutes of the Deeping onslaught. The penalty corner threats were averted and South started settling down. South defence under Dave Monck’s command looked solid with Manu, Ian Glover & Tom Anns standing as a wall.

Tom Anns & Rick Cleas specially were combining quite well on the left flank. Alex & Tom Watson in the central midfield were moving the ball to the flanks and to Rob & Tim in the D. Bav Virdi got a green card for a stick tackle in the first half (which would not be his last card of the match). The last 10 minutes of the first half was all attack by South, where there were couple of open scoring chances but the ball just didn’t cross the goal line. Tom Watson was given a green card because he stopped the ball with his stick above the shoulder.

The first half ended 0-0. Dave & Ron changed the plan and it was decided that Dave Mock would pass more from the 16 yard starts and if we have to score we need to use our pace against Deeping.

This was correct as South got their first goal in the 5th minute of the second half. Tom Watson’s cross from the left found Rob B’s stick and sharply deflected the ball into the goal. 1-0.

The second goal came soon after when Alex and Rob combined and Rob did a clinical finish. Rob was in form and looked like he could get a hat-trick very soon. 2-0 to south after 15 minutes of the second half.

Although South’s defence was solid, Dave Monck’s knee wasn’t. He twisted it and was moved from deep defence to the free striker up front. This resulted in a 3rd goal when South counterattacked. Alex got the ball from Manu, made a 20 yard run, gave a good pass to Rob B, who then passed it to a free Dave “Weak Knee” Monck, who made no mistake to sound the board. 3-0 to South and Dave’s first field goal since his A levels.

Bhav has a friendly chat with the umpire

Rob Barton has had more assists this year than the number of goals he has scored.

Dave Monck was replaced by Ron Oren upfront. Ron played in his trousers and a XXXXL Moncksaurus Tshirt. That could have easily given him the lemon. But more lemon rewarding acts were to come.

South’s attacks were not finished yet. They got a penalty corner when 7 minutes were left in the match. A very good insertion from Ron Oren was stopped by Bav Virdi, he did a cheeky pass with his stick’s handle to his right (which in all laws of FIH was supposed to be legal). The umpire blew the whistle saying “I don’t like it”. Bav Virdi went mental; he started arguing with the umpire and was shown the yellow card for shouting and arguing with the umpire. This also gave him the LOM. From what we have heard his role model is Ricky Ponting.

The match ended with South having another clean sheet. Tom Watson was rewarded the MOM for his good display in the central mid field.

Ron was a very happy man with South M2 reaching the magical figure of four wins on the roll but he reminded us of no complacencies, as we play the league leaders Ely next week. Good Luck South!

Team played: Shahbaz Ali, Ron Oren, Tom Watson, Tom Anns, Manu Bhardwaj, Ian Glover, Dave Monck, Tim Clapp, Richard Claes, Bhavdeep Virdi, Rob Barton, Alex Stafford

Cambridge South Men's III 1 - 3 Spalding III

H/T: 0 - 1

Scorers: Tristen Knight
MoM: Chris Collinson (Increasing confidence and some great saves)

This was always going to be a tough battle for CSouth vs high flying Spalding. However the home side's evident advantages in fitness, youth, skill, speed, and composure came up against a well-motivated, and disciplined (mostly) CSouth, and were only able to score from 2 short corners and a rather dubious P flick.

Chris Collinson and his defensive shield of Nelson, and JelleyEvansKern kept te marauding fenland hordes out, only to be rewarded by two painful injuries to Nelson and Jelly that meant the away side only having 10 on the pitch as heroic Simon Jelley had to crawl off to the sideline only to reappear close to the opposition penalty spot for the entire second half.

CSouth had a number of smart sweeping attacking moves, and were able to penetrate the home defence through slick passing using the width of the pitch. Both wingers Nish Patel and Wilco Dijkstra caused problems with their terrier-like approach; Jonny Deacon and Paul South ran themselves into the ground in the cause, and were important links in most of our better moves. Unfortunately only one goal was converted by Tristan Knight with a terrific solo run, shimmy past the keeper and rasping shot. Others went close but coudln't find the net.

Spalding deserved their victory, as they were definitely the better side, but CSouth were certainly not disgraced and on another day could have snatched a result.

Match Teas at the Crown in Surfleet afterwards, and the XB bitter to wash it down, were brilliant.

Team played: Chris Collinson, Ian Evans, Dom Nelson, Nishant Patel, Tristen Knight, Jonny Deacon, Wilco Dijkstra, Matt Kern, Paul South, Simon Jelley, John Greaves

Cambridge South Men's IV 3 - 0 Bourne III

Match conceded by Bourn as they fail to raise a team.

Cambridge South Ladies' I 0 - 1 Huntingdon Ladies I

Scorers: None

Awaiting Report

Team played: Louise Tonkin, Ellie Raffan, Caroline Dent, Julie Sadler, Sian Tomlin, Liles Dee, Georgie Hurford, Caroline Molony, Siren Dabb, Breeshey Harkin, Alice Hug, Tash Cox

Cambridge South Ladies' II 2 - 1 Market Deeping Ladies II

Scorers: Ash Price (2)
MoM: Ash Price