Lost 1-3
Scorers: John Aikin
MoM: not awarded
DoD: The Whole Team
With thanks to team sponsor MFri
Not a good day at the office. We lost and not in a pretty way so very hard to spin this report.
Had the forwards including your scribbler taken opportunies in the first 20 minutes the result could and should have been very different, especially as Gravesham were slow out of the blocks and a bit late turning up. But they didn’t and Gravesham slowly hauled themselves back to parity and then into the lead.
A few bright spots – there were encouraging debuts for Ali Hajilou aka ‘Haj’ – a true back to hockey star. He has been 34 years in the making and originally spotted by Dave Hacker no less via St Eds and Hounslow HC 1s in 1994 – back in the day, so fitting well into the Friars demographic profile. Additionally UKC student Toby ‘Bandana’ Young up from the 10s, enthusiastic and totally committed. Though not on debut (obvs!!) evergreen Phil Dowling made a welcome return back testing his various creaking joints out.
Despite getting the first goal somewhat luckily (John Boy) we unfortunately kept pushing forward leaving gaps at the back, in the middle and elsewhere (!) passing to the wrong colour shirt and not passing at all which Gravesham exploited consistently. They deserved their victory.
So that elusive first point remains just that – elusive and no doubt difficult to find at Blackheath next week, but hope springs eternal just after you’ve got a duck at our great summer sport and you console yourself that there is always next week!
Thanks to Andrew Dunn and Diccon Stubbings for umpiring. They were being assessed for Level 1 (and passed) by Chris Martin at least a Level 2.
Postscript: From my pitch side reporter
The adjudicating umpire “complemented” VC Hurlow for committing a professional foul by deliberately obstructing and then sneakily moving the ball out of the Friars 23 to reduce the punishment. Somehow this got missed ……….