Lost 4-1
Scorers: Simon Buckingham
MoM: Jacob Reimann
DoD: George White
With thanks to team sponsor MPil http://www.ideaworks.co.uk
On a cold, rain-soaked night in Rochester, the Grims arrived for a 4:30pm pushback, battling a biting breeze and relentless, driving rain that made the warm-up feel more like endurance than preparation. We faced the Willies — recently relegated from the league above — and the opening stages were a grind, with the weather and pressure making every touch a contest.
Despite this, we created strong chances. Charlie Lloyd-Hughes fired several excellent long balls from the back, finding Tom, Jacob, and Ollie as they broke into space. This movement repeatedly got us into the Willies’ D but without the finishing touch.
Against the run of play, the Willies opened the scoring with a dubious goal. The Grims responded instantly: from a rapid counter off a Willies 16, Tom burst through midfield and slipped the ball to Big Bucks, who calmly tucked home the equaliser for 1–1.
The Willies then pushed back hard. A series of short corners followed, and a sharp drag flick beat Ben for 1–2. Minutes later, another attack made it 1–3 at halftime.
The second half brought even colder rain and rising frustration, earning the game’s first card. We threatened from quick counters and won short corners — our best chances to close the gap. A neat German routine went inches wide. Soon after, George stepped up for a drag flick but instead of troubling the keeper, he launched a missile destined for the treetops, with only the fence — and the local wildlife — preventing a full-scale nature disaster.
The Willies converted again to stretch their lead to 1–4 before taking a yellow card of their own. Despite continued effort, the score stayed fixed until full-time. MOM — Jacob, for relentless work rate and quality in midfield.
DOD — George, for that unforgettable short corner missile and for attempting to adjust his own DOD vote.
A tough night, but valuable lessons as we push toward the final fixtures of the half-season.
Squad: Nick Buckingham
Charlie Lloyd Hughes
John Boydell
Ben Beatty
Miles Boydell
Hamish Murray
Stuart Goodman
Oliver Coope
Matthew Ratcliff
Jacob Riemann
Emil Pedersen
Michael Sabine
Tom Hutchings
Simon Buckingham
George White