Result:
Saturday: Southgate Titans 6 – 1 Old Cranleighans Hamstrings
Sunday: Southgate Titans O55s 2 – 0 Blueharts O55s
Goalscorers:
Saturday: Nick “Biff” Robinson (2), Greg Wildisen, Alessandro Onano, Ian “Jacko” Jackson, Tony “Wiz” Wizbek
Sunday: Randall Hyer, Jatin Patel
SOUTHGATE TITANS – WEEKEND MEDICAL BULLETIN
Hamstrings twanged, tendons tested, spirits high.
Part I Saturday: Old Cranleighans Hamstrings – Dismantled and Discharged
Southgate Titans 6 – 1 Old Cranleighans Hamstrings
Saturday’s weather was so grim it should have come with a DNR, but through the downpour Titans produced a performance of surgical clarity against the visiting Hamstrings — a team whose name sadly foreshadowed their afternoon.
Somewhere in OCs’ ranks lurked a Welsh Masters international, but he was left performing solo triage while the rest of his unit unravelled around him. What had been billed as a top-of-the-table clash quickly felt like a contest a ringside doctor might have stopped on compassionate grounds.
First Half Incisions
1–0 Biff (PS): Short corner, foot on the line, Biff converts with consultant-level calm.
2–0 Greg (PC): Rebound clinically harvested.
3–0 Ale (PC): Injector to receiver, receiver back to injector, injector scores. Anatomy textbook stuff.
4–0 Jacko: A no fuss open play finish – routine procedure.
OCs went into half time needing oxygen.
Second Half Check-Up
5–0 Wiz (PC): Zig-zag routine, biomechanical perfection with a crisp shot on the zig.
6–0 Biff (PS): Another PC, another foot on the line, another stroke, this one surgically planted in the top-left postage stamp.
OC’s still had a faint pulse, and nabbed a late consolation for 6–1.
Part II Sunday: Blueharts – Blunted, Bruised, and Left Feeling Blue
Southgate Titans 2 – 0 Blueharts (55s Cup, Round 2)
If Saturday was clinical surgery, Sunday was battlefield triage under artillery fire: improvised, attritional, and not for the squeamish. A repeat fixture of last year’s cup tie — a 3–2 nail-biter — this year’s edition finished 2–0 and was hugely competitive.
Gallows humour in the early moments as Bill was hit by a sniper in the opening salvo and had to withdraw to convalesce far from the front lines.
In a move Sun Tzu would have been proud of, we elected to play with the hindrance of the sun in our eyes in the first half, knowing that if we could survive the onslaught we would be well-positioned after the turn. Indeed, Blueharts took more early territory, breaking quickly and often, but Titans held firm — fending, blocking, tackling, and occasionally performing minor miracle interventions. We created chances too, but the first half was more attrition than artistry, both sides grinding each other down in the midfield battle.
With the sun on our backs and visibility restored in the second half, Titans hockey emerged from the trenches. Long periods of space and control finally led to a 60th minute breakthrough. Mike drove the inside-right channel, slipped to Jatin, who fed Randall for an open-play opener. 1–0, pressure released.
And moments later it was 2–0, courtesy of a diagonal ball finding Jatin unmarked at the far post. For dramatic tension that tested the bench’s cardiovascular health, he took five extra touches before tapping home.
More battlefield casualties as Jacko, through on goal, was pulled up by that sniper; and Doug battled on but finally had to withdraw with a crocked knee to complete the injury hat-trick. Reserve troops on the bench fully deployed!
Blueharts had given their all and fought to the end, but ultimately couldn’t resist the Titans pressure. A great clubhouse atmosphere followed — proper cup spirit between friendly sides who don’t often meet.
Thanks to Will and Chris for umpiring — especially Will, who was heroically upright despite his Grade 3 50th-Birthday Hangover.
Mid-season Medical Report
League: Table-topping on 8 wins, 1 loss, with 42 goals for, 10 goals against. Into the last 16 of the national Cup. Short corner routines feared across the land. 3-4-3 structure bedded in, stout defence, flowing patterns, relentless pressure. A squad playing with the composure and confidence of a surgical team in theatre – clear roles, calm heads and hands, collective trust.
No league matches now until mid-January, so an opportunity for the battling and battered Titans to take some well-earned R&R, and return fighting fit after the break.