Ladies 1s

L1s stepped out for our first league game at home vs Tunbridge Wells. We went 0-1 in the first half so still all to play for in the second. We kept positive but went 0-2 down to a penalty corner. Instead of giving up we kept playing our game and Jenny Field tapped in to bring back to 1-2 and then Izzy came round from the left and wonderfully slotted it through the keepers legs 2-2!

A good first match and a well-deserved draw.

MoM Dobby (honestly!) …

DoD Mandy for failing to walk to the car after the game although after voting we remembered Fish sending a cracking ball out to the left to Lucy Butcher which would have been amazing if Lucy hadn’t just stepped off the pitch to sub. If only she’d had a bib on already.

Also mention for Claire Boyling who is our new self- imposed fines master and provided new fines pot and MoM trophy.

Men’s 1s

To Follow, L 4-1 (Norwich City)

Ladies 2s

The Ladies 2s played Harlow at home today. We had a bit of a slow start with Harlow scoring from 2 breaks early on, going in at half time 2-0 down. With a motivating half time speech from Sarah and a rejig of tactics we came out fighting in the second half. We managed to put away 3 spectacular goals thanks to Kirsten, Sarah and Olivia and ended the match 3-3. It was a great comeback and start to the season!

Men’s 2s

Schrödinger’s chip shop: if the Chinese restaurant is closed, but the chips have been ordered, do they really exist until Ed Bear Stubbing has bought some from elsewhere? And why did Yogi Patel and our very own thought experiment personified, Rob Martin both have to go?
Today’s pop was Clarkey, who’s commitment to being wherever the opposition’s attackers aren’t extended from the pitch all the way to a no show at the pub. It was a pretty good effort to earn pop ahead of yogi …who conceded six today.
Mom was Matt Tanswell, not as Gandhi like as his brother, but nevertheless deserving.
Well done Imran Arshad for two(?) goals.
6-2 defeat. Room for improvement.

Ladies 3s

To follow, L7-0 (Chelmsford)

Men’s 3s

The Men’s 3s played away at Colchester today, the first half was pretty close but Colchester had a few short corners which we were defending well. Unfortunately we went into half time 2-0 down. The second half didn’t get any better with match fitness playing its part, but full credit goes to Tom who played his first game in goal today and made a number of cracking saves. It’s fair to say this Colchester team will be one of the strongest teams in the league, full time score 7-0.

MOM – Tom for a great game in goal
POP – Gavin for grabbing an own goal

Ladies 4s

L4s were first on at home this morning against Old Southendian L2s. We had a real mixed bag of players, some newbies, some youth players and some players returning after a season out due to injury. We fought hard in the first half and even harder in the second half. At the final whistle the score was 5-0 to Old Southendians, but we left happy and with our heads held high after a really great first match. Looking forward to next week’s match!

Men’s 4s

The Men’s 4s started their season at home to Wapping 8s, @ Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, although in every aspect, it felt like an away fixture. As always this turned out to be an extremely feisty fixture.

In a very tight 1st half, where for the opening 15 minutes, we looked like a side playing their first game of the season. After that we got a foothold in the game, got our passing together and started to cause the opposition problems. Although Wapping had more of the ball in the 1st half, out GK had no saves to make, whereas Wapping’s keeper made 3 or 4 good stops. But at Half time the game remained goalless.

The 2nd half was very much the same, we were extremely solid in defence, and were showing plenty of attacking flair. But against the run of play, from a short corner, Wapping took the lead with a good strike, 1-0.

To our credit we responded well, and after taking a quick self-pass from a free hit, and a dazzling run along the baseline, Oliver Loessl pulled the ball back to Frank Dijkstra who finished with aplomb 1-1, the game was certainly there for us to win.

We kept creating chances, but couldn’t get that elusive 2nd goal, then unfortunately, a rare Wapping breakaway, the ball was played into our D, and as I tried to trap the ball on the reverse stick, all I did was deflect it through our keepers legs, for what turned out to be the winning goal.

Although for the last 5 minutes we peppered the Wapping goal, and didn’t get the goal, that would have given us a point, which would have been the least we deserved but, you don’t always get what you deserve in sport.

What we will do is take the positives from the game, safe in the knowledge that if we play like that week in week out, we will win more games than we lose!!

So onto next week and Upminster 4s away.

MOTM Oliver Loessl Just great distribution, always a threat, and an unbelievably brilliant assist for our goal.

We don’t normally do POP but,

POP Gary (Captain Calamity) Joy, Poor control that ended in an own goal that cost us the game..

Men’s 5s

The Men’s 5’s made the short trip to Colchester for their opening game of the season.

The 5’s took the lead early on after Biel slotted home from close range after Colchester failed to clear a short corner. Colchester then equalised from a short corner of their own. Colchester scored a second and the first half ended 2-1 to Colchester.

The 5’s started the second half on the front foot but it was Colchester who grabbed a third and a fourth before Biel grabbed his second of the game.

So the 5’s started the season with a loss. A lot to work on, but a lot of positives to take away as well.

4-2 defeat

Scorers- Biel Schreuder (2)

Otters

To Follow, L3-0 (Rochford)