Match Report for Team: Mens 1st XI

28/03/2010 vs Hamble 1s: 4 - 3 Win

Determination Humbles Hamble

Won 4 - 3

Blandford and Sturminster 1st Men’s team wrapped up their season with a gutsy and hard-fought away victory at promotion-chasing Hamble. The victory was made even more sweet by the absence of a raft of regular 1st team players. Indeed, an 11th hour withdrawal saw late replacement, Harrison Scott, fill the void in his first ever game of competitive hockey.

The match began at a slow pace with the hosts perhaps lulled into a false sense of comfort. The hockey in the opening stanza was rather lacklustre especially from teams reaching the climax of their season. Hamble opened the scoring from a rather fortuitous free-hit that beat keeper Freddie Everett on the right post. They soon doubled the lead with a scramble down the left base-line to compound Blandford’s misery after they had squandered good chances at the other end. 2 – 0 down at halftime, the chat revolved around keeping possession and cutting out the long ball – a game plan that would lead to the eventual victory.

Blandford took control of the match in the second half with central midfield duo, Brendan Pryke and Dave Green, doing the hard work in coverage and distribution. Stu Fry, after switching to the left of midfield, came into his own and made some telling runs with impressive skill and control. Blandford opened their account through a PC that was no classic but nevertheless crucial. Tom Blake’s low and slow drag-flick somehow evaded the Hamble defenders before rolling under a shell-shocked keeper. Blake’s second was more emphatic as he flicked low and to the near corner from another PC a few minutes later. Hamble were well and truly rattled by now and the discontent that had been quietly bubbling away throughout the game, started to come to the fore. A slew of cards followed in the remainder of the match with the Hamble players seemingly running a tag team relay to the sin-bin in the corner of the pitch.

Hamble finally burst into the Blandford circle – for the first time in the half - and somehow worked a short corner that was hammered in to put them back in to the lead at 3- 2. The fighting spirit of the visitors was not going to wane however. The back 4 remained composed with 2nd team player, Edd Neale looking increasingly composed with Ken Nelson and the old-timer, Mike Holm shoring up the central line. Hugh Freese and Blake combined well on the right where they switched between right midfield and right back to provide skill to the overlap. Paul Randall used his speed to great effect upfront whilst the aforementioned debutant, Scott, was happy to run his backside off and become a nuisance to defenders.

With 10 minutes remaining, Blandford hit back to tie the game up at 3 – 3. Whilst the penalty stroke was perhaps erroneously awarded, the resulting goal was always going to happen – with the plaudits going to Blake who, with it, completed his hat-trick. The game became quite desperate with much energy and commitment coming from both sides - the umpires needing to be at their best to keep things in check. With the end of the game only 4 minutes away, Blandford snatched the crucial 4th goal. Neat passing found Randall whose base-line run was pushed to the centre where a diving Green got the crucial touch under the ensuing pile of bodies to slide the ball under the keeper and over the line.

The final 3 minutes were as eventful as the entire 2nd half. A powerful Hamble hit from just outside the 23m area came off Holm’s and flew point-blank into Dave Green’s head. The blow was flush and sickening, cutting him just above the right eye. The blood and cut resulted in an ambulance being called. The blow galvanised the visitors and made them determined not to let the game slip after all the hard graft and determination that Green had put in over the match and season.

And so it was that the final whistle went with the score at 4-3 to an immensely satisfied Blandford. There were some bitterly disappointed Hamble players who now have to sweat on their promotion. For the visitors the victory was bitter-sweet. The victory was utterly fantastic considering the make-up of the side and the daunting task facing the team though the facial stitches to Green tempered the joy somewhat.

The result leaves Blandford in a comfortable 5th place at the conclusion of the league after winning 11, drawing 4 and losing 7. The usual ‘what ifs’ will surface, especially the ‘what if’ there was greater consistency in player availability. However the team can be proud of their achievements and all players and supporters need to be commended on a good, solid season. With a few tweaks and a little luck, there is no reason this team can not crack on and push for promotion in seasons to come.