Match Report : Will Hargrove
WIN : Mens 4As 3-1 Bedford 5s
MOM: Sajiv Saha (6), mentions to Hargrove (3), Dixon (2), Pinney (2)
Southgate Goals:
- Wildisen (open play, approx 40mins)
- Hargrove (PC, approx 45mins)
- Hargrove (PC, approx 52mins)
Bedford HC has never seemed further away than it did on Saturday, having left Muswell Hill at 10.45 and made to collections in Crouch End and Friern Barnet I finally arrived with Messrs Wolffe and Bhundia at 1.18 for a 1pm push back. Captain Hud-dog’s UN like negotiations had secured a late start but only 1.15pm. Thankfully 10minutes in we were up to our full 13 and it was still 0-0. The first half, played in dry but fresh and very windy conditions was evenly matched but also evenly shambolic if not lacking effort.
The half-time team talk spoke of better basics and higher energy but also (as it turned out crucially) of getting more short corners. Our one corner in the first half had drawn a very good extended left foot save from their keeper who was also their player of the match. We re-took the pitch from the second half determined to get the win. A very good 25 minutes followed.
The first goal came after a turnover from Alex Hyer put Greg Wildisen through on the rapidly advancing keeper. Greg took the ball to the right and from the edge of the D crisply struck under and past the keeper. From here we really dominated with good possession and movement and we looked threatening. We started to win corners and then from our 4th we scored, through Hargrove, down the channel to the keeper right, it was not to best of flicks but, as they say, they all count.
We really dominated not and it weas not long before we got another corner. Ably injected as usual by the captain, Wildisen stopped and Hargrove feigned to flick, rolled the ball through the runners feet and pushed low and hard into the left half of the goal for a 0-3 lead. We looked good and like we would score more for the next 5 minutes but then on the 60 minutes gone mark we really fell asleep, trying intermittently to do the wrong thing or trying too hard to force it. Captain Hud-dog got his axe out and bad a bad tackle, from there they were through on goal and scored – it could have not nervy but we saw the game out. Nigel Dixon was good in goal, long times of inactivity broken by the need for good saves. Captain Jon Huddleston had a good game especially in our purple patch, one break up the pitch saw him near to their D before the altitude got to him and he kicked it.
James Rushton was tackling well as ever and nullifying their target man, all this whilst wearing Greg’s flip flops as shin pads! Sajiv Saha played right back, but very much as a wing back, man of the match was no contest as he surged forward deftly, quite the performance. His father Raj Saha just in front of him did a lot of good tidying up, fixing errors and laying the ball off, crucial. Will Hargrove held the middle well and managed to feed in a few balls that tested them, Nayan Bhundia was industrious up front maturely holding the ball up well.
Alex Hyer had another high energy game and it felt like he may score, always a threat, Randall Hyer roamed the left flank playing in either the back line or midfield and did so effectively. David Wolffe was solid and accurate in all he did often in tandem with Randall. Greg Wildisen was a superb target man, stopped corners well, made great runs and finished clinically. James Pinney was an enigma (Bletchley Park being under 20miles away!), 3 times hitting the ball over the goal – if we’d replaced the 7 iron with a 3 iron he could have had goals, for all that he was high energy and a real test for the opposition. Chris Ray had his best game for us, holding the ball well, always a threat and getting into space.
A last word for the warm welcome we had from Bedford, good umpiring and high quality teas – a hot buffet – one more game before the Christmas break and 4As are now 5-1-5…up the ‘gate!
