Lost 0-9
MoM: Both Youngsters: Men of the Match to both Angus Solley and Oly Triggs – Oly for his courage and never giving up against the constant Sevenoaks “peppering” and Angus for his constant effort, running and competitiveness.
DoD: Geordie Hayward for somehow getting in the way of a Barry Thomas shot that should have been a goal!
With thanks to team sponsor MFri
To get to the other side of Sevenoaks for 10am is a bit of an effort for the creaking limbs of most of the Friars and this did not bode well for the events that followed.
And a bit of pasting it turned out to be. Sevenoaks, second in the table played to their full potential with a well organised roll-on, roll-off squad of 15 and a manager with a clipboard and an average age half that of ours! They are obviously keen to be promoted which we are not!
Not much to write about the hockey as the goals from Sevenoaks came in regularly and at least 4 of them were of the highest quality. Oly Triggs certainly earned his match fee and made some excellent saves directing our defence however there were too many gaps at the back and the marking from the forwards backwards was not good allowing the much younger opposition acres of space to play with as fresh legs every ten minutes appeared!
The only other youngster of the Friars – Angus Solley – ran his heart out. There was no shortage of effort from anyone especially our defence and with Barry Thomas being heavily marked found it difficult to creat opportunities and when he did not helped by Hayward especially getting in the way .
Only in the last 5 minutes or so did spirits sag a bit but Sevenoaks were a class team and there was no disgrace in losing to them. but at the end of proceedings Guy Dowling gave a tub thumping speech which hadn’t been written by his manager brother! So we at least went home in better heart with some of us well looked after by the opposition in the Vine clubhouse and already looking forward to next week.
Our manager was absent without leave – (just sayin’). Indeed out of the last 7 games we have won 5 where he was present and lost 2 where we had early starts and he was “away on business”. Phil Dowling (for it is he) really is our lucky icon but he wasn’t hanging round our necks on this day!
Back to the Vine for some very pleasant Sevenoaks hospitality and a chat over an ale with their elders!