W 6-1

Report by Lucca Bilyard

We arrived midday under the blazing sun the whole squad raring to go apart from Ben Milson who was late as usual. A very athletic looking London Edwardians team turned up which made many of the team fearful for the potential amount of running  but it soon became clear perhaps the real reason they accepted the friendly was so they could use the pavilion afterwards for drinking games. 

A tough first quarter but we managed to take the lead through Ivan Stark who scored an unorthodox short corner taking advantage of a kind bounce off the first runners initial block. Jack Levene taking advantage of the relaxed minuets and effort he was asked to put in due to his cup game the next day, deciding to try and score with his foot rather than the bending and using his stick. A very even second quarter in which  the heat started to get to both teams. John Dan making an unbelievable top corner save to keep the opposition from getting back into the game. Hamish Patel in the form of his life coming off back-to-back hat tricks in the summer league, took a half volley on the turn to put the ‘Ighty Fives 2 up.  London Edwardians manage to pull one back after an initial excellent first save but a well taken rebound to make it 2-1. 

A little half time switch of positions a we came out to play the best 20 minutes the fives have probably ever played.  Joe Soper becoming the first five’s player to realise that after injecting you are meant to get to the back post for a deflection to make it 3-1.  Ben Milson also getting in on the action got a couple of back post deflections and a lovely sweeping slap to not only put us up 6-1 but to also to scored his first ever Southgate hat-trick. 

At this point we were feeling very generous and gave Rory Willmott a chance to score his first ever goal for the club from right slip. A very clean strike so accurate it hit the only part of the inside of the post that would deny him the goal. So his wait continues. The game finished 6-1 and after in the garden we watched our opposition’s boat race and drank many many pitchers

Final Score 6-1

MOTM – Ben Milson for the hat-trick and all round good play

DOTD  – Dave (ST) for obvious reasons