1-1 Draw
Match Report by Alastair Whatley
Few o40’s teams can claim a travelling support team of 3 coaches, 2 managers and a coterie of travelling supporters including the club president. Yet the Flagons have this year enjoyed a mighty cup run that seems to defy the fact they have only played 3 games across 4 rounds. This last 16 round saw the newly reformed side face one of the toughest tests with a game against ‘the Invincible’s’ from Old Cranleighans who have lived up to that name for over a year competing at the top of the London Master League and a clear favourite for victory in this competitive EH championship.
After a rigorous 90 minutes of powerpoint presentations, quizzes and team bonding and an extensive 30 minute warm up led by Howie Wilson followed by a speech from Henry V delivered by skipper Whatley and then a minutes silence (all of which happened) the team was ready for the PB.
The Flagons fielded a team of real quality with former M1 coach Matt Grinham and former W1 coach Allan Dick combining joining with current incumbents Andy Richardson and Kwan Browne which meant the defensive line was about as strong as any side could hope. True to form the game got off to a pacey start as both sides scoped each other out, like two jungle beasts limbering up for a bout of territorial combat. OC’s had clear quality in every line, but showcased particularly a well drilled and experienced defensive unit who ensured the ‘Gate attacking players had to work hard to prevent balls being easily distributed from OC’s ’25.
In the middle Mark Ellis (Webby), Will Hargrove (noisy) and Dan McGrath (stoic) worked some tonic and found gaps and holes into which the likes of Andrew Westbrook (Westy) and Andy Buckle (Andy) could pounce. Elsewhere Duncan Trathen came on and soon got sent off for clear breach of GCSE mathematics. Alessandro Onano and England’s Howie Wilson ran the lines hard as wing backs driving hard into the OC’s midfield and eventually a run from Onano found Wilson who found Richardson who found Whatley who got the first Flagon shot across the OC’s boughs. All remained quiet for Scotland’s Allan Dick as he expertly marshalled his defensive forces with Andy Richardson proving solid as Gibraltar’s rock in the Southgate D. Balls came in and balls came out and ne’er the goal did they meet.
It was the Flagons who came closest in the first half with a ball delivered hard across the OC’s goal meeting the sure hands of Andrew Westbrook who just missed the target in getting the visitors an early lead.
Kwan Browne soon stepped up for a PC at top D and delivered a perfectly executed low drag to the goalkeepers right hands side, Andy the OC’s keeper and skipper pulled off a blinding stick save which denied ‘Gate once again.
Elsewhere Andy Robertson and Gavin Kay relieved their midfield colleagues and together with Raj Saha (Senior Lion) worked on fending off a newly fortified OC’s attack. A challenging 10 minute phase saw all Flagons to the wagon as they repelled wave after wave of pressure. It was a big team effort.
Half time came in a blur and the Flagons gathered (in their lines) before Coach Huw steeled their fire and Andy Robertson (Robbo) ignited it. Yet on the whistle and against the run of play OC’s countered and with our back line beaten were able to steer the ball around Allan Dick and command the first goal of the game.
And then the Southgate Lions began roaring, sustained pressure followed from the ‘Gate players with balls feeding their way through lines. Matt Grinham finding inch perfect passes and the Southgate forwards linking with their midfield colleagues to good effect. Andy Buckle went closest beating the opposition keeper but instead of finding the goal instead found Skipper Whatley’s foot for some sure fire DOD votes that would (and did) follow.
The time ticked by, the crowd built, the Southgate President began shouting and Justin our travelling umpire sent an OC’s player off for some poor choice of language. The game was on. Coaches Todd, Chris and Huw sent Kwan up a line and suddenly Allan Dick became a mere spectator as the Flagons begun some total hockey- a PC was on. Kwan stepped up, shipped it to Richardson who sent it back before just missing the final shot. The sands ebbed away in the timer. Trathen put in some crucial tackles, Onano terrorised the left, Wilson the right and Whatley kept running.
5 minutes became, 3 and things got heated. The umpires tried to calm the addled nerves as the last 60 seconds arrived. Browne dug in, the balls phizzed in like the after taste of a love heart and lo- the ball fell to Whatley who picked it on his reverse and shovelled it goal ward with little finesse but maximum determination. The ball wrong footed Andy in the OC goal and thudded against the backboard. Whatley roared. The President roared. The Flagons roared and the OC’s roared at Justin.
Then the final whistle went and then nobody knew quite what to do. The u16 girls needed to get on the pitch. Skipper Whatley had read the rules and expected shuffles, the umpires hadn’t necessarily and Andy the OC’s skipper had read the rules but insisted that flicks were the standard operating procedure. So everyone looked at their phones and either got very cross or pretended they didn’t care and walked up and down looking at the sky.
Eventually The Umpires decided that flicks were the order of the day and both teams mustered their forces. Southgate weren’t worried because they had Kwan who had scored a flick just the previous evening against GB and Wales keeper Toby Reynolds-Cotterril so at least it was one in the bag. Kwan stepped forwards cool as you like, shuffled his hips, moved gracefully through the motion of stick to ball to ball to goal and everyone watched as he promptly missed, or rather Andy our nemesis saved the ball.
Then OC’s scored.
Then Andy Richardson scored with a screamer.
Then OC’s scored.
Then Andrew Westbrook scored with a delicately placed number that took the snails route to glory
Then OC’s scored.
Then Andy Buckle stepped forward with the weight of Southgate on his haunches and he shot hard and right and middle and Andy fired up and in the zone saved the ball and the road cheered and Southgate were almost out.
Then OC’s shot hard high and left- Lion Allan read it, reached, connected but the ball had too much velocity and clattered from stick to goal with a dulcet warm thud and the crowd roared and Southgate fell as one to their knees as after coming so close they exited with fiery élan.
It was a cruel blow but as the beers flowed the team came together and realised how close this motley group (of rather fine players) had come to pulling off something of a coup. How well they had played for vast swathes of the game. How deep they had run ‘The Invincible’ but more than anything perhaps how somehow in 3 short games they had pulled off the far bigger feat of becoming a team in the truest sense of that word. And I think most of us wouldn’t trade that for all the cheese in Cheddar.
The Lions will roar again.
Thanks to all who played and managed, coached and supported.
Southgate Flagons “The Lions” Squad:
Allan Dick (Southgate M1, Scotland, GK), Alastair Whatley (c), Andrew Westbrook (Southgate M1, vc),Alessandro Onano (Italy, vc), Raj Saha (Lion speech Treasurer), Kwan Browne (Southgate M1,Trinidad), Andy Robertson (Lion Speech, Robbo), Will Hargrove (Sommelier), Gavin Kay (once was M3 captain), Andy Richardson (co-Magistrate), Howie Wilson (Warm up chief, England), Dan McGrath (Ireland), Mark Ellis (Southgate M1, Webby), Duncan Trathen (co-Magistrate), Matt Grinham (Wales, Grinners, Southgate M1), Andy Buckle (S&R), Dillet Gilkes (Rumba), Brian Cade, Simon ‘Os’ Bate,
Management Team
Head Coach
Huw Stevens
Exec Coach
Chris Pearce
Coach
Todd Lomas
Manager
Simon Parker
Asst. Manager
Jon Huddleston (Hud Dog)
Umpire
Justin Edwards (The Cat with the whistle)
Club President
Dickie Beechener (The President)
Chief Supporter
Richard Martins
After a rigorous 90 minutes of powerpoint presentations, quizzes and team bonding and an extensive 30 minute warm up led by Howie Wilson followed by a speech from Henry V delivered by skipper Whatley and then a minutes silence (all of which happened) was ready for the PB.
The Flagons fielded a team of real quality with former M1 coach Matt Grinham and former W1 coach Allan Dick combining with current incumbents Andy Richardson and Kwan Browne meant the defensive line was about as strong as any side could hope. True to form the game got off to a pacey start with the game as both sides scoped each other out, like two jungle beasts limbering up for territorial combat. OC’s had clear quality in every line, but showcased a well drilled and experienced defensive unit who ensured the ‘Gate attacking players had to work hard to prevent balls being easily distributed from OC’s ’25.
In the middle Mark Ellis (Webby), Will Hargrove (noisy) and Dan McGrath worked some tonic and found gaps and holes into which the likes of Andrew Westbrook and Andy Buckle could pounce. Elsewhere Duncan Trathen came on in and soon got sent off for clear breach of GCSE mathematics. Alessandro Onano and England’s Howie Wilson ran the lines hard at wing back driving hard into the OC’s midfield and eventually a run from Onano found Wilson who found Richardson who found Whatley who got the first Flagon shot across the OC’s boughs. All remained quiet for Scotland’s Allan Dick as he expertly marshalled his defensive forces with Andy Richardson proving solid as Gibraltar’s rock in the Southgate D. Balls came in and balls came out and ne’er the goal did they meet.
It was the Flagons who came closest in the first half with a ball delivered hard across the OC’s goal meeting the sure hands of Andrew Westbrook who just missed the target in getting the visitors an early lead.
Kwan Browne soon stepped up for a PC and at top delivered a perfectly executed low drag to the goalkeepers right hands side, Andy the OC’s keeper and skipper pulled off a blinding stick save which denied ‘Gate once again.
Elsewhere Andy Robertson and Gavin Kay relieved their midfield colleagues and together with Raj Saha worked on fending off a newly fortified OC’s attack. A challenging 10 minute phase saw all Flagons to the wagon as they repelled wave after wave of pressure.
Half time came in a blur and the Flagons gathered (in their lines) before Coach Huw steeled the fire and Andy Robertson ignited it. Against the run of play OC’s countered and with our back line beaten were able to steer the ball around Allan Dick and command the first goal of the game.
And then the Southgate Lions began roaring, sustained pressure followed from the ‘Gate players with balls feeding their way through lines. Matt Grinham finding inch perfect passes and the Southgate forwards linking with their midfield colleagues to good effect. Andy Buckle went closest beating the opposition keeper but instead of finding the goal instead found Skipper Whatley’s foot for some sure fire DOD votes that would follow.
The time ticked by, the crowd built, the Southgate President began shouting and Justin our travelling umpire sent an OC’s player off for some poor choice of language. The game was on. Coaches Todd, Chris and Huw sent Kwan up a line and suddenly Allan Dick became a mere spectator as the Flagons begun some total hockey- a PC was on. Kwan stepped up, shipped it to Richardson who sent it back before just missing the final shot. The sands ebbed away in the timer. Trathen put in some crucial tackles, Onano terrorised the left, Wilson the right and Whatley kept running.
5 minutes became, 3 and things got heated. The umpires tried to calm the addled nerves as the last 60 seconds arrived. Browne dug in, the balls phizzed in like the after taste of a love heart and lo- the ball fell to Whatley who picked it on his reverse and shovelled it goal ward with little finesse but maximum determination. The ball wrong footed Andy in the OC goal and thudded against the backboard. Whatley roared. The President roared. The Flagons roared and OC’s roared at Justin.
Then the final whistle went and then nobody knew quite what to do. The u16 girls needed to get on the pitch. Skipper Whatley had read the rules and expected shuffles, the umpires hadn’t and Andy the OC’s skipper had read the rules but insisted that flicks were the standard operating procedure. So everyone looked at their phones and either got very cross or pretended their didn’t care and walked up and down looking at the sky.
Eventually The Umpires decided that flicks were the order of the day and both teams mustered their forces. Southgate weren’t worried because they had Kwan who had scored a flick just the previous evening against GB and Wales keeper Toby Reynolds-Cotterril so at least it was one in the bag. Kwan stepped forwards cool as you like, shuffled his hips, moved gracefully through the motion of stick to ball to ball to goal and everyone watched as he missed, or rather Andy our nemesis saved the ball from it’s true destination.
Then OC’s scored.
Then Andy Richardson scored with a screamer.
Then OC’s scored.
Then Andrew Westbrook scored with a delicately placed number that took the snails route to glory
Then OC’s scored.
Then Andy Buckle stepped forward with the weight of Southgate on his haunches and he shot hard and right and middle and Andy fired up and in the zone saved the ball and the road cheered and Southgate were almost out.
Then OC’s shot hard high and left- Lion Allan read it, reached connected but the ball had too much velocity and clattered from stick to goal with a dulcet warm thud and the crowd roared and Southgate fell as one to their knees as after coming so close they exited with fiery élan.
It was a cruel blow but as the beers flowed the team came together and realised how close this motley group (of rather fine players) had come to pulling off something of a coup. How well they had played for vast swathes of the game. How deep they had run ‘The Invincible’ but more than anything perhaps how somehow in 3 short games they had pulled off the far bigger feat of becoming a team in the truest sense of that word. And I think most of us wouldn’t trade that for all the cheese in Cheddar.
The Lions will roar again.
Thanks to all who played and managed, coached and supported.
Southgate Flagons “The Lions” Squad:
Allan Dick (Southgate M1, Scotland, GK), Alastair Whatley (c), Andrew Westbrook (Southgate M1, vc),Alessandro Onano (Italy, vc), Raj Saha (Lion speech Treasurer), Kwan Browne (Southgate M1,Trinidad), Andy Robertson (Lion Speech, Robbo), Will Hargrove (Sommelier), Gavin Kay (once was M3 captain), Andy Richardson (co-Magistrate), Howie Wilson (Warm up chief, England), Dan McGrath (Ireland), Mark Ellis (Southgate M1, Webby), Duncan Trathen (co-Magistrate), Matt Grinham (Wales, Grinners, Southgate M1), Andy Buckle (S&R), Dillet Gilkes (Rumba), Brian Cade, Simon ‘Os’ Bate,
Management Team
Head Coach
Huw Stevens
Exec Coach
Chris Pearce
Coach
Todd Lomas
Manager
Simon Parker
Asst. Manager
Jon Huddleston (Hud Dog)
Umpire
Justin Edwards (The Cat with the whistle)
Club President
Dickie Beechener (The President)
Chief Supporter
Richard Martins