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Match Report – M2 v Bicester 4’s

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MATCH REPORT M2 vs Bicester 4’s

Lo, upon a temperate day did Wanderers play host to Bicester, with stout hearts and noble aim: to seal the league’s double ‘gainst that selfsame foe, whom they had erstwhile vanquished upon their own fair ground earlier in the season’s course.

From the first blast of contest the struggle was most evenly matched, the battle waged in the crowded theatre of midfield, where stick met ball as sword meets shield. Yet it was Wootton who fashioned chances of greater promise, though Fortune, coy mistress, denied them still the golden breakthrough. Meanwhile did Bicester win for themselves sundry short corners, and cunningly did they seize their moment—striking the orb both low and fierce, so that it skidded beneath all hope and nestled in the net. Thus were Wanderers made to trail.

Yet untroubled in spirit and undismayed, Wanderers pressed on to restore the balance. Fair winged play from Josh E, swift as Mercury’s own step, delivered the ball unto their captain, noble Mark, who stood within the D. With a touch most deft, and Fortune lending but the slightest smile, the ball did find its way into the back of the goal. So ended the first half in parity: one apiece.

Within the quiet counsel of half-time, the company spake amongst themselves, well knowing that but subtle refinements might yield rich harvest upon the field—most chiefly that the midfield must labour as one to blunt the adversary’s edge. This charge was borne with excellence by Luke and Josh M, who in the second half did toil with tireless vigour and put in a shift most valiant.

By their endeavour was Wootton granted firmer mastery of the contest. And lo, following an overturned short corner, when Bicester sought vainly to clear their lines, brave Steve did intercept the ball and with bold intent drove it back into the D. There stood once more their steadfast skipper, Mark, ready of foot; and with a guiding deflection he sent the ball trickling o’er the line, as though Time itself would pause to witness it. Thus were Wanderers set ahead.

Not long thereafter came a third: good Lee, crowning yet another fine display, took his chance with grace and surety, and struck a goal most pleasing to behold.

So the contest drew to its close with no further alteration of the score. Wanderers, triumphant, did claim the three points entire, and by that noble gain were lifted into the top half of the table, their fortunes ascending as the sun at dawn.

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Man of the Match Phil Adams

Lo, in the steadfast ranks of the back line stood Phil, imperious as a king upon his battlements. Each counter-attack that dared to rise against Wanderers he did sweep away with sovereign command, quelling the threat ere it could take root. And having thus restored order, he followed each noble defence with distribution most fair and measured, sending forth the ball as a herald of renewed assault, that Wanderers might surge once more upon the attack.

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Match Report – M2 v Aylesbury 4’s

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MATCH REPORT M2 vs Aylesbury 4’s

Today Wanderers put in a strong performance against Aylesbury and came away pleased with how we played overall.

We started the game really well. From the push back we moved the ball quickly, switched play nicely and used the space out wide to stretch the opposition. That gave us a lot of control early on and we looked comfortable in possession. About 10 minutes in, Gregg opened the scoring for us. It came from sustained pressure which lead to a couple of short corners and he finished one well to give us the lead.

We kept the tempo up and around 18 minutes we got our second. Liam got his shot away and it was heading in, and Lee made sure but who got the last touch nobody knows. It was good forward play and exactly what you want — following up and making sure nothing gets left to chance in front of goal.

Aylesbury deserve credit. They’re above us in the league and even though they only had 11 players available, they worked hard and kept competing throughout. We knew they’d have quality and they made us stay focused.

In the second half we continued to play some good hockey. We had a short corner routine that was looking close to a goal, but unfortunately it didn’t come off. It was still a positive move and showed the kind of patterns we’re trying to build from set pieces.

Gregg added his second around the 45-minute mark with a really tidy reverse-stick strike, which was a great finish and capped off a strong performance from him. Towards the end we probably got slightly more relaxed than we should have — nothing drastic, but maybe not quite as sharp as in the opening stages. It’s something small we can improve on.

Overall though, we played well as a team. We started strongly, used the space effectively and took our chances when they came. Plenty of positives to take from it into the final stretch of the season.

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Man of the Match John Bennett

JB providing the impenetrable wall in defence, giving the team a solid base to build from.

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Match Report – M2 v Berkhampsted and Hemel Hempstead 5’s

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MATCH REPORT M2 v Berkhampsted & Hemel Hempstead Hockey Club 5’s

It was a dreich Saturday afternoon/early evening push back in the village of Cow Roast (no I’m not joking it’s a place!), against an experienced Berko side with a smattering of youthful legs.  We fully expected to be playing in driving rain but actually the weather Gods were with us and we mainly got away without much in the way of rain.

The home side applied a little pressure early on but in relatively short order Wootton made a break through with Alex C slotting one away.  This provided a degree of confidence and Wootton had the lion share of the ball and created a number of short corner opportunities with Mitch taking the honours, ably supported by Chairman Lee on stopping duties, but what must have a been a combined hockey playing years of somewhere between 150-200 Berko were equal to the varied corner routines onslaught.

To illustrate the breadth of time and space Wootton created,  the next tally on the score sheet was a moment of hockey genius created by two of Woottons very own veteran dream team. With a, not often seen, foray past the half way line from this author with a pin point pass to midfield dynamo Darren in the D, who with a style and panache that could only have been matched by Sean Kerly or Imran Sherwani in their heyday found the back of the net with guided shot past a floundering keeper.

Wootton kept playing to their strengths and with a mix of hard work, short accurate passing and quality communication they continued to dominate the first half.  Where possible using generous space on the wings and increasing the pressure on the D when they could.  Eventually the Berko defence cracked again and Alex C bagged his second and made the scoreline 3-0 at half time.

After lots of positive reinforcement and an insightful and incisive half time team talk from our illustrious leader, Wootton started the second half with the same degree of vim and vigour that they had finished the first.  It wasn’t long before the second half tempo of Wootton’s play was rewarded with a fine finish for Archer, creating a comfortable lead.  This didn’t stop the determination of the visiting side or quell their desire for more Berko blood, in fact they very nearly got it for real after what I’m going to call a ‘misunderstanding’ between a couple of players who quite frankly should have known better.  (My heartfelt apologies to any of the more sensitive of my team mates who may not be used to such vociferously colourful language and to the umpires who they tell me were sounding their whistles but I think the red mist must have muffled the noise somewhat!)

Wootton continued to battle as the Berko massive shored up their defences, Alex C managed to not complete his hatrick, possibly some whispers of jug avoidance but definitely was not helped by what seemed like some harsh decisions against him by the umpire and some enthusiastic tackling that left him prostrate on more than one occasion.

Apart from the rubbish weather we travelled through, the stupidly late pushback and little bit of handbags; a very positive afternoons work from the mighty 2’s, hopefully more of the same to follow in a fortnight!

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Man of the Match Mitch Jimes

Mitch continued his good form, industrious in midfield breaking up play and turning us into attack.

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Match Report – M2 v Oxford 7’s

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MATCH REPORT M2 v Oxford 7’s

The match pushed off with both teams fielding a bare 11, leading to an evenly contested first half. The weather was mild, providing good conditions for play.

While Wootton Wanderers had some solid offensive moments, they struggled to break down Oxford’s defence. A few chances were created, but none resulted in goals, and Oxford’s defender’s kept them at bay.

The match became a bit more intense as the first half progressed, with a few spicy moments between players. An Oxford player received a green card for not speaking to the umpires in a correct manner, which briefly put them a man down. However, the game didn’t slow down, with both teams continuing to battle it out for control of the midfield.

Oxford had a couple of opportunities from short corners, and they capitalized on one, managing to find the back of the net. Despite some opportunities for Wootton, the half ended with Oxford leading 1-0.

The second half saw both teams showing signs of fatigue, but there were still moments of skill on display. Wootton Wanderers pushed forward, trying to break down the Oxford defense, but could not convert any of their efforts into goals. A particularly nice play from Josh M saw a well-executed run to back post from Wootton, but unfortunately, it was not enough to get past the keeper.

Oxford, capitalising on a tired Wootton defence, scored another goal midway through the second half, effectively sealing the victory. The final whistle blew with Oxford winning 2-0. A tough loss with Wootton probably deserving something but it wasn’t to be.

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Man of the Match Luke Ross

Luke on debut, was Oxford’s bad penny as he popped up all over the pitch proving a nuisance and breaking up many attacks.

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Match Report – M2 v Tring 2’s

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MATCH REPORT M2 v Tring 2’s

After a break that felt longer than a journey through hyperspace, the saga resumed on a hockey pitch not too far away. The Wootton Wanderers Rebels welcomed the Sith Lords of the planet Tring for the next chapter in their epic battle.

The Rebels entered the fray without several of their seasoned Jedi Masters, notably Keeper Masters Godfrey and Wilson-Slight. This forced Rebel leader Jedi Master Chadwick to don the fearsome Jabba the Hutt keeper armour for the first time this season. Undeterred, the Wanderers began with A New Hope, controlling large periods of the first half. A sustained assault brought wave after wave of penalty corners, but it seemed the Sith had stationed Darth Vader himself between the posts, as save after save was conjured with a mere wave of the hand. The opening chapter closed goalless, balance in the Force firmly intact.

The second half, however, saw The Empire Strike Back. A short corner was initially denied by Jedi Master Chadwick, but the Sith pounced on the rebound to open the scoring. Moments later, relentless Stormtrooper attacks overwhelmed the Rebels, and a second strike followed. Despite valiant resistance from the Jedi Masters and their Padawans, the Sith struck again, with Boba Fett breaking through one-on-one and calmly slipping the ball home.

The Rebels’ persistence was finally rewarded in the dying seconds. From a short corner, Jedi Lee Twynhom-Jinn sensed the disturbance in the Force, reacted quickest to the rebound, and smashed home a consolation goal to the delight of the faithful.

There is no battle scheduled next week, but hope remains. Attention now turns to a Return of the Jedi in a fortnight’s time, when the Rebels host the high-flying forces of Oxford. May the Force be with them.

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Man of the Match Darren Thorpe

Master Jedi Thorpe, used all his powers of the Force to control the game. “That’s not the ball you’re looking for”…

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Match Report – M2 v Aylesbury 4’s

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MATCH REPORT M2 v Aylesbury 4’s

Mild conditions and a great day for a long drive saw Wootton visit Aylesbury. The journey nearly paid off early, as Wootton started on the front foot, pressing hard and keeping the hosts busy. Unfortunately, one loose ball was all Aylesbury needed, their striker obliging with an absolute peach.

Half-time: 1–0. Wootton scratching their heads, wondering how they were behind.

The second half brought more frustration as Aylesbury struck again, with a swift counter attack as Wootton were pushing for an equaliser. Still, Wootton didn’t fold. With ten to go, Joe Warne reignited hope with a short corner deflection. Late pressure followed, plenty of huffing and puffing, but no fairy-tale equaliser. Final score 2-1.

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Man of the Match Mitch Jimes

Endless legs, tireless graft, and probably still running now.

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Match Report – M2 v Buckingham 2’s

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MATCH REPORT M2 v Buckingham 2’s

A mild day at Buckingham, ideal hockey weather, unless you rock up hung over and late. Wootton arrived missing a few regulars and facing the runaway league leaders, but the first half was superb. The Wanderers not only held Buckingham to 0–0, they pressed high, created chances, and genuinely unsettled the home side.

Buckingham came out sharper in the second half, pinning Wootton back. The defence held firm for 20 determined minutes before the deadlock was finally broken, with a couple more goals following quickly before the end of the game. Final score 4-0 to Buckingham, but a determined performance from Wootton.

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Man of the Match George Rimmer

For some outstanding defensive work all match.

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Match Report – M2 v Milton Keynes Ronin

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MATCH REPORT M2 v Milton Keynes Ronin

Wootton started the match strongly despite the cold Northampton drizzle, dominating the opening 10 minutes. MK slowly grew into the game, found space through the centre and earned a short corner, which they finished neatly into the bottom corner. 1–0 MK.

Wootton pushed back and were rewarded before half-time with a short corner of their own. A clean injection, tidy stop and Lee’s low slap took a deflection off a defender and rolled in. 1–1 at the break.

The second half opened evenly, but MK struck again with a quick move through the middle, a ball fired left and slapped across the baseline to be finished. A scrambled 16 and a foot in the D soon after handed them another short corner, which they converted. 2–1 MK.

Wootton didn’t fold. A 16 found George, who weaved past two MK players and fed Liam. A hammering slap across the backline found Ash arriving for a composed bottom-corner finish. 2–2.

The final minutes were end-to-end chaos, with Wootton winning one last short corner but sending the shot just wide. Whistle. Draw.

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Man of the Match Darren Thorpe

Another great midfield performance from Darren, mopping up trouble and pushing the team forward.

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Match Report – M2 v Leighton Buzzard 4’s

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MATCH REPORT M2 v Leighton Buzzard 4’s

On a chilly, lightly damp and mist-shrouded afternoon, 4th-placed Wootton Wanderers and 3rd-placed Leighton Buzzard served up a lively five-goal contest.

Wootton struck first, courtesy of Lee Tw, who produced a classy reverse finish with his back to goal. Some say he meant it. Others say physics is still reviewing the footage. Either way, it was 1–0.

Leighton Buzzard responded before the mist had time to settle again, levelling the game and reminding everyone that they hadn’t travelled all that way just to admire Lee’s finishing technique.

But Wanderers reclaimed the lead before half-time thanks to Alex C, who met a cross and tucked it away neatly — a very tidy goal in conditions best described as “mildly inconvenient.” 2–1 at the break, the crowd optimistic and only slightly damp around the edges.

The second half swung back and forth like a pub door, with three cards being handed out — not in anger, more in the spirit of “let’s all calm down a bit.” Both teams carved out chances, pushed forward, and occasionally vanished into the mist for a second or two.

Sadly for Wootton, it was Leighton Buzzard who made their moments count, grabbing two goals after the restart to flip the game on its head and edge out a 3–2 win.

Wootton pushed late on, but the mist wasn’t the only thing blocking their vision — Leighton’s defence stood firm, and the clock ran out on a comeback (despite a last-second swipe at the ball in the attacking D from Phil A).

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Man of the Match Lee Twynholm

Leading the forward line and getting his first goal for the club, hopefully the first of many.

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Match Report – M2 v Bicester 4’s

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MATCH REPORT M2 v Bicester 4’s

On Remembrance weekend the men’s 2s travelled to Bicester to face their 4s team. With 2 wins on the bounce the players were willing and ready. After a respectful minute silence Wootton pushed back and started the first half pressuring Bicester, hitting the ball in to the D for multiple attacks. Threatening there defence with furious chances with many a shot on target hitting the goal keeper resulting in short and long corners. We kept up the pressure, making the Bicester goal keeper having to do loads of diving saves until Gregg stuck the ball away and put us 1-0 up. Wootton kept the pressure on but Bicester put some balls though into the Wootton half, but their chances were smothered by our defence. We then had another chance with the ball in Bicester’s D, Gregg waiting for and wanting his second, as he hit it, it rebounded out and Chris was on hand to put it away. The first half ended with Wootton dominating the game with our passing game and giving options through support.

Bicester pushed back: we started the second wanting to continue our dominance through our calm passing game and support, although this didn’t quite materialise as we started rushing our play. Even with this rushed play, we continued to put pressure on Bicester which led to Gregg putting the ball into the back of the goal again. Unfortunately, it was disallowed for being lifted at a player. Bicester started spending more time in our half as they capitalised on our rushed play but due to some great team defence and our goal keeper blocking some shots we kept them at bay. After the disappointment of his disallowed goal Gregg was back in the oppositions D and against the flow of play at that time put us further ahead with his second goal. Now 3-0 to Wootton. In the closing minutes of the game Bicester counter attacked and putting a good ball across the D to an open player on the back post scored a consolation goal. 3-1 the game ended.

In the talk after the match it was shown that everyone had a great game as the man of the match vote was spread over most players e.g. JB for great positioning in defence and neutralising there greatest threat. I could have put a personal comment about everyone’s game as everyone had a great game, but for Man of the Match it was voted Greg for his great goals and attacking threat throughout.

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Man of the Match Gregg Winkel

Leading the forward line and bagging himself a couple of goals.

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