Men's Masters Over 40s Vs Sutton Coldfield

Telford & Wrekin Men's O40s secured their first win in the competition in four attempts with a 2-0 win against Sutton Coldfield in the EH Tier 2 Plate competition. Bhoppy Thiara picked up a stick for the first time in 16 years alongside Andy Lloyd & John Middleton who donned the pads in goal. Ex 1XI skipper Alex Johnson also played for the first time since his first knee op before Christmas. A 16 man squad on Saturday morning was whittled down to 13 by the time the team set off from San Geo on Sunday with Sunny taking on the Team Coach responsibilities. 

On the new water based pitch at Wyndley the balls didn't bobble as much as expected partly due to the recent deluge of rain. Bhopster rolled back the years in the warm up pinging several shorties from the top of the D onto the backboard. Fortunately he'd found out the day before that you didn't need to stop the ball outside the D anymore. The appointed umpires also informed us we were playing quarters...would the extra 2 minute breaks lead to more cramping or not?

We got off to a good start and settled into an early rythym and found ourselves ahead early on when Moet took a free hit outside the circle quickly and whilst the defence reorganised he was able to pick out the unmarked Tommy Lauder near the back post to deflect the ball home to make it 1 nil. Sutton then came back into the game with lots of possession but without really testing us at the back. John Higginson was having a stormer on the right, getting hold of the ball and letting us work the ball through midfield up to the forwards. We looked fairly compfortable until a rash clearance by Moet was penalised by the umpire and after a few quiet words by Moet and then AJ, the umpire decided to send Moet off as the captain for "crowding". Fair enough. The 2 minute break didn't hurt us with Beef keeping things tight at the back ably assisted by Bhopster, Raj & Nighters who had stepped in off the left. 

The rest of the half we probed and pressed without having any real chances. Vijay & Glyn shored up their keen running centre mid pairing and the rotating forwards of Tommy, Seato & Lloydy provided good outlets when we needed it. AJ had a few cameo appearances and realised what's it's been like for the majority of us to play hockey without having any real pace. If only Mayer had been their to christen him Lead Legs II.

Half time, a few tweaks to the line-up and then the heavens opened. As we started the second half Beef's face said it all and when we immediately turned the ball over you thought it might be one of those days. But alas, despite the oppositions Nesbitt plan (chuck the ball to one side of the player and run the other side to get it), we continued to keep control of the game despite a lack of possession and John Middleton in goal trying to jinx it by claiming it would be his first clean sheet in 8 years. We always looked dangerous on the break but it looked like we'd hold off for a 1 nil to the Arsenal before Glyn & Seats had other ideas with the former ghosting into the D and trying to force the ball past the keeper but as it popped up in the air Seats was able to divert the ball home to make it 2-0. Sutton were deflated but still not out of it but a comedy short corner won by John Higginson at the end of the game failed to lead to a further goal and the game finished 2-0.

A gritty performance by a team literally thrown together at the whistle but it was great to see so many former players on the pitch together at the same time. Up next is an away trip to Burton in a Last 32 clash.

MOM : Dave Seaton

DOD : AJ

Pic;
Back: R Dhanjal, B Singh, C Heath, J Woodrow, T Lauder, A Lloyd, A Johnson.
Front: J Middleton, J Higginson, D Seaton, V Chumber, G Summerhayes, C Nightingale.