Won 3-1
Scorers: Alex Ricketts, John Aikin (2)
MoM: Will Hanys
With thanks to team sponsor MFri
It was glorious sunshine on AW3 where the Friars faced Burnt Ash 6s. The Demon King of the Friars – our glorious leader – was absent on annual pantomime duty at the Ash village hall. Apparently an entertaining performance was witnessed by a number of team mates on Friday evening, with Ms. Hazel Lander (aka Jones) the undoubted star of the show.
So with our cerebral VC Hurlow at the Helm, the Friars were also pleased to see The Scribbler (Geordie Hayward) and James Windbreak Curtiss back in their ranks, and to welcome newcomer Craig Meredith on debut.
Unusually for the Friars, the match started as well as could possibly be imagined, with an early short corner powerfully converted by Cllr. Ricketts. The much younger Burnt Ash side responded with some fast moving, passing hockey, but ran up against Trigger and his well marshalled Friars defence, linking with a dynamic midfield of Will Hanys, Arun Banarse, Phil Dowling, JC who started at left wing (yes really!) but he switched dynamically around the pitch never mind his own self-description as a windbreak, he was a clipper in the second half tacking this way and that, coupled with Craig who looked like he had a mechanical knee plus our skipper. The Friars launched their own counter attacks from midfield with a number of long passes ‘nearly’ finding the returning Hayward well positioned and moving at pace behind the Burnt Ash defence.
The 1-0 lead was preserved at half time with wise words and jaffas from Phil Dowling, Trigger and the skipper.
The second half started well with some dexterous stick work from JC to Will Hanys who passed into the D to John Boy Aikin who converted with a blistering first time strike. Goals are rarely provided on a silver platter but this was one. Another goal followed five minutes later with Aikin catching the goalie napping with a trademark reverse strike. His radar was at last working. 3-0 to the Friars. Burnt Ash battled well for the rest of the half and scored one back.
So it had been a good day at the office for the Friars and the final score was a 3-1 victory. On the downside Dowling had to come off for a pulled hamstring but said he’d be ‘fit for next week’ as he has a bionic body. John Boy was subbed 5 mins from time so he didn’t have to buy a jug as he was obvs going to get a hatrick! With a much needed victory under their belts, the Friars were in good spirits in the bar, reflecting on an all round solid performance and the return of our very own pint-sized Demon King next week. BTW his mugshot in the Panto programme had a photo of a young Harrison Ford as his alter ego – in your dreams Hazel! Any this little pic shows he with Hazel was really on the stage!
Huge thanks to Phil and Kevin for umpiring.
Squad: John Aikin, Arun Banarse, Mike Barton, James Curtiss, Phil Dowling, Luke Fassum, Will Hanys, Geordie Hayward, Brian Hurlow(C), Craig Meredith, Geoff Philpott, Alex Ricketts, Simon Triggs (GK), Chris Ward
