Lost 1-2
Scorers: Tony Jones
MoM: Tom Parkin
DoD: John Aikin ..where’s the match report ?!
With thanks to team sponsor MFri
For the last match of the season the future was Orange or rather meant to be. Resplendent in the Pumpkins shirts (see pic) freshly laundered, pressed and scented with a suitable EH Holdstock & Son countryside conditioner – thank you George – there was hope. Coupled with Dowling (P) stating that he had been in the garage all week having his cylinders rebored and a new head gasket and cambelt fitted there was indeed hope. Indeed the Friars played some of their best hockey of the season in the first half aided by some really excellent defence marshalled by the Great Trigger himself. Tom Parkin tackled like a man possessed throughout the game and richly deserved his Man of the Match but mention to to Euan Hutchinson who exhibited nice skills not often associated with the Friars.The Friars goal just before half time was dribbled in by skipper Tony Jones who regaled us for the rest of the day (yawn) by the fact that he had scored the last Friars goal of the season.
After half time the Friars still competed but the fuel tank was dangerously in the red coupled with a few punctures and it was only a matter of time before Anchorians equalised with 5 minutes left. Some poor passing to the wrong colour of shirts then contributed to the final goal and with one minute left the home team clinched it much to the delight of the 50 or so vocal home supporters.
So an enjoyable season ended on a slightly downcast note. However after having been promoted from a league that we had been in since we had started playing league hockey a decade or more ago when our skipper Jonesy was only 70 we had not gone straight back down again finishing 9th out of 12. Onwards to next season and no doubt some transfer discussions with brown envelopes in back pockets and maybe some guest appearances from the Great Matt Lea himself? Pip Pip!
Squad: John Aikin, Bert Andrews, James Blackburn, Phil Dowling, Jamie Harris, Geordie Hayward, Brian Hurlow, Ewan Hutchinson, Tony Jones (C), Tom Parkin, Alex Ricketts, Simon Triggs (GK), Chris Ward
