Match Report

Saturday 10^th. November 2007

Wilmslow 2’s vs. Lymm 1^st IX

0 : 4

A 12 o’clock away start at Wilmslow, didn’t quite suit Ross A’s game plan today, as he picked up the “**** of the Day” award to add to his collection of Cricket trophies picked up the night before! He may have arrived at the pitch in body, but certainly his mind was still swimming around a pint pot at some posh hotel in Didsbury.

So to the game.

The Wilmslow pitch looked a good, quick, zippy surface which we hoped would suit the Lymm game. A far from slick warm up, however seemed to set the tone for the first half.

Lymm came out of their blocks at a pace even Grandad would have been embarrassed at!

No one was at the races and Wilmslow, who’s game plan they admitted later was to man mark and defend the “D” was working well. Although Lymm had the majority of the ball the Wilmslow defence looked solid and their plan to get bodies and sticks, Oh and perhaps elbows and feet in the way seemed to be working. Numerous short corners came to nothing in the first 20-25 minutes with Ross Arrowsmiths bullet strikes lacking their usual venom. The Wilmslow keeper, once he had wandered round the D a few times and rearranged his entire kit at ever set piece opportunity, was quickly down and untroubled by any goal bound strikes.

More untidy hockey ensued with Wilmslow winning more of the ball and starting to push up the pitch forcing Lymm onto the back foot and testing Tom in goals for the first time. Scores remained at 0 : 0.

Another short corner for Lymm called for a change of plan…….”Bad mood Ben” had spotted a chink in the Wilmslow keepers defensive armour, namely the top right corner. Promptly dispatching a well aimed drag flick into said chink….Score 0: 1J.

“Yeeeesssssssss!!!!!!”...........................Keeper NOT L H-A-P-P-Y L. Green Card for chasing Armie half way up the pitch for his perhaps a little over exuberant celebrations. [“Look I was pleased we’d scored and gamesmanship has to work in both directions-otherwise it just wouldn’t be sporting would it.”]

And so ended the first half.

After apologies to the younger members of the squad a well deserved bollocking was received by all. This however was what we needed to raise our game for the next 35 minutes play.

Immediately after the restart the Lymm game seemed to be flowing better. All players working for each other, both on and off the ball to make space and build good attacking positions. Cookie and debutant George down the right looking much more confident and playing some good hockey. Lymms second score looked likely and came within minutes as Ben once again picked his spot in the top right corner with a flick; this delivered from attacking open play. More pressure on the Wilmslow goal continued and the third goal came when a good strike by George from the right of the D was tapped almost half hearted over the line by second Lymm debutant Steve Wong, who looked like he thought about kicking it in before remembering that in Hockey you can only score with YOUR STICK!

The half continued in this vein with attacking play only being thwarted by Wilmslow bodies and sticks being thrown in the way. Andy Hunt picking up several cuts and bruises as his scything runs where axed down from all angles.

Lymms fourth and final goal came as a carbon copy of the first, as Ben completed his hat-trick with another top corner drag flick.

So ended the game/battle and all hands were shaken. Probably on reflection a good result for both sides. Bring on City of Manchester.