Lost 2-3
Scorers: William Hanys, John Aikin
MoM: Simon Triggs
DoD: not awarded
With thanks to team sponsor MFri
FRIARS BEND IN A STIFF BREEZE
The Friars lined up in sunshine to face Holcombe Hurricanes for an away fixture.
Unfortunately, one of their number was missing – big Geoff Philpott (stalwart of the Friars’ defence) had ‘stabbed himself in the hand’ in a cauliflower farming incident apparently. One joker was heard to remark that it must have been some blow to pierce Geoff’s leatherlike skin! But if you remember a few years ago he was snapped (see pic which was gathering dust in the Friars picture archive) with his favourite cauliflower cutting tool – a machete – so his injury must be all too true (but as ever another Friars report digresses off piste-ed)
And so onwards, squad already depleted, the match commenced.
An early goal for young newcomer William Hanys gave the Friars an early lead, but Holcombe equalised soon after. A long through ball from the defence and a blistering strike from John Aikin caught erstwhile Friars’ goalkeeper (from a few years ago) Lee Rowney napping and restored the Friars’ lead. But again Holcombe equalised – 2-2 at half time.
In the second half Trigger and the defence battled valiantly and their work rate could not be faulted. As the half progressed more and more Friars resources were sucked into a duel that only occasionally left our defensive quarter, putting ourselves under pressure and missing the chance to take the fight to the enemy. Breakaway goals while satisfying are not the stuff from which league dreams, ambition and success are made!
Somewhat inevitably after all the pressure, Holcombe scored a winner – a hat trick for their energetic and fast paced centre forward who was no doubt ‘recovering from injury’. The final score was 3-2.
The Friars need to recover their mojo and play the more expansive and structured hockey we remember from last year, because at the moment some say there is sadly more innovation in the Friars’ injury list than on the field of play. On that point we wish Geoff a speedy recovery.
By the way, has anyone else spotted injured Friar Geordie ‘hi-vis’ Hayward impersonating a traffic warden at Polo lately? Is this an official part of his Friars’ recuperation or is Geordie just aimlessly filling a void where his hockey should be on Saturday afternoons? Will big Geoff appear alongside Geordie next week? Where was evergreen Phil D today? How’s new Friar icon Ally Alexander last spotted heroically hobbling around MKM Building Supplies? How many “injured” Friars will join this yellow jacketed work detail before the end of the season? Just asking for a friend!
Squad: Simon Triggs (GK), John Aikin, Archie Barnes, Mike Barton, James Blackburn, William Hanys, Jamie Harris, Brian Hurlow, Ewan Hutchinson, Tony Jones (C), Tom Parkin, Alex Ricketts, Chris Ward
