COWHC Mens 3s v Old Kingstonian Men's 3s - 05th March 2016

The day could have started better when, at 11 o'clock, tick tock, I'm standing like a lemon waiting for the bus to the club house and my phone decides to give up on me! On another day I wouldn't have minded, but I was trying to get there for half past so Dav could kindly take me to the game!

Sometimes you can't make it on your own, but fortunately this time I did... just in time, as upon arrival I see Dav pulling out of the car park. Flagging him down, I climb in to hear him, DP and Hoops saying "we were about to leave, with or without you!"

So, a bad start and a bit of luck... that actually sums up the match as well.

We actually arrived on time, despite me transportation and communication nightmare, unlike some others... With only 10 players available by pushback a formation was made up, almost on the fly, and we started the game. OKs were at full strength, and showed why they are 4th in the table by taking advantage of our dissary and putting us under quite a bit of pressure. Phil was called into action a couple of times, and some last ditch tackles from the defence & DP kept them at bay.

It wasn't all one way though, with AJ, JP, Jack and Dav doing their best to cause havoc at the other end. We did create a couple of half chances, and I think OKs began to realise it wasn't going to be the beautiful day they were hoping.

Fortunately, halfway or so into the first half, the cavalry arrived. Ben and Sam, brought by dad Keith who claimed to have got caught where the streets have no name (Hampton Court...) duly walk on... and we go 1 down! The shuffle to get us into a proper formation led to OKs reasserting a bit of pressure and winning a short corner. The inital attempt broke down, but the ball was played back into the D and their player finished past Phil. Sometimes a ball will get on your boots and you'll hold your hand up, or the umpire will see it... Apparently one of these things happened prior to the goal, however I didn't see anything so I can't possibly comment.

However now up to full numbers, and with the energy that Ben and Sam bring to the whole team flowing like an electrical storm, we pulled ourselves back into it. Our goal also came from a short corner. Hoops injected and then received the ball back from DP, his initial shot was saved, but with the 'keeper prone he lifted it over him for Ben to tap in at the back post.

1 - 1 at half time. Cleashy gave his usual words of wisdom to remind us of the unforgettable fire that we have in this side and we went out and showed it.

No one showed more pride that Messers Hooper and Mahi who were seemingly everywhere in the second half. Dav was making a nuisance of himself in the middle of the park, never giving the opposition a moment's rest. Hoops was mopping up anything that broke through and using his mysterious ways of distribution (OK, so only the one aerial this week was a mystery, plenty of elevation, not much direction...) to great effect.

Our second goal was the sweetest thing. Sam played a sideline hit to Hoops in the centre of the park who swept it forward to Jack in the D to deflect into the goal.

And Hoops and Jack combined again shortly afterwards to set Dav up for a great finish over the keeper to put us 3 - 1 up.

OKs though never let their heads go down and they kept pressing, their four skinny indie kids in particular running hard. They got an element of reward when, with just under 10 minutes of the game left, one big push led to the first real bit of confusion in our defence and they snuck in a scrappy goal.

That did lead to a bit of squeeky bum time for us as they pressed in search of the equaliser. But we defended like it was our last night on earth, every breaking wave of OK attack met with a touch or relief as the pressure was lifted.

We clung on to the final whistle and walked off happy. Credit to OKs for giving us a really tough work out in a game that could have gone either way. Even men with steel hearts will have been impressed with the desire shown on both sides.

POM was Hoops, proving himself even better than the real thing. DOD was Chris for the technological meltdown.

Thanks go out ot Lena for umpiring, DP for giving me the medication needed to breathe freely and our cheerleaders on the sidelines.