Match Report by Sajiv Saha

4-5 Loss

Goals, Whatley, Lik (2), Davies

The men’s 4’s travelled to Battersea Park to take on Spencer 4’s in a battle of mid table mediocrity. With a nice jog around the beautiful Battersea park the 4’s took to the field.

Spencer 4’s started strong and put Southgate on the back foot with a penalty corner being converted only 5 minutes in. The 4’s remained unreceptive to the message that this game would need to be fought for and only ten minutes later Spencer slotted another into the back of the Southgate net this time in open play. Unfortunately, the 4’s failed to gain any traction in the first segment of the game with a rogue Spencer shot from the edge of the D – being mistakenly left to hit its mark due to confusion over what colour line represented the edge of the D… The answer is a white line of semi-circular shape rather than a yellow rectangular line, an honest and innocent mistake.

Finally Southgate were given a break, through some neat hockey the ball was worked into the Spencer D and more specifically onto a Spencer foot. After a botched stop one short corner routine morphed seamlessly into another with the ball finding Whatley who deftly slotted the ball into the goal with a very tidy backspace shot.

A rousing team talk later the 4’s took to the field, putting a slow start behind them with the knowledge that they have the ability to come back into the game. However it would require determination and a willingness to fight for the game. Despite a quick short corner goal from Spencer only a minute into the new half, the 4-1 score line swiftly became an equal 4-4 with three team goals.

The first was worked diligently by the team from a short corner where the ever composed Tom Davies tapped the ball over the line. He was heard repeating “a goal is a goal” on his meander back to the half way line.

The next goal could be used to define “never give up” with Tadgh chasing down a loose ball stopping it on their baseline. With most amazed he even stopped the ball it was surprising to see Lik busting a gut to get into a goal scoring position. The ball was then slipped across goal and keeper for Lik to step in front of the defender and bunt it into the goal one handed on his reverse.

The equaliser came in the form of another Lik finish who was reluctantly assisted by Whatley. Thankfully team comes before interpersonal competitions…right? Whatley brilliantly slipped the ball past their last defender to Lik who shovelled the ball straight into a logged keeper. The ball kindly gave Lik another chance with the rebound landing at his toes he decided to try this time to shovel it over the keeper into the net instead of through him. Miraculously this technique proved more successful and the 4’s slow start had been rectified.

The game remained in deadlock for much of the second half with both sides displaying much fight. At some point blurring the lines with genuine violence. A casualty of such was Sajiv Saha who after getting the better of his opposite man one too many times was on the receiving end of a rather low blow.

The drama was far from over. A 60th minute goal from a short corner once again saw Spencer take the lead. The 4’s played with desperation seeing a well placed aerial land in Waqas’ reach putting him one on one with the Spencer keeper who would have been bricking it. Regrettably the Spencer nominated umpire blew his whistle as Waqas beat the keeper. This was not the first time the aerial rules were brought into question this game. Only a few minutes later Waqas planted a ball in the net off the keepers botched save. It was not a good day for Waqas when his second goal scoring opportunity was disallowed in the final few minutes.

The lads left everything on the field but time had run out and the game had been snatched from under our noses.

Facing Barnes 2’s next week at home, the 4’s look to learn from their mistakes. Start strong, don’t give away an early lead and fight from the very start should ensure 3 points for Southgate.

Special mentions to goal scorers as well as Ito who played very well and made several goal scoring tackles as last man.
Mom- Mr Whatley for his decisive goal that reminded the team that we were still well into the game.
Dod- Sajiv Saha for Aftershavegate and going down in the D after being hit with a low blow.