COWHC Men's 3s vs NPL Bees - 10th December 2016

It was on a starry night (OK, 8.45 start from the club, but that's way too early) that we 3 kings... sorry, COW 3s, headed to the little town of Bethlehem, close to Teddington, to play our final match of this half of the season.

As we were waiting outside the pitch, good King Wenceslas (a.k.a Chalky) turned up and we knew all would be well with the world. And so, while shepherd's watched, the match began. From the first Noel it was clear we had got the warm up spot on as we tore into NPL like the holly and the ivy.

A flowing passing move led to us winning a short corner and we actually converted it, Bash sending a drag flick rocketing 3 millimetres of the floor and into the corner!

Apparently the "champagne moment" of the match then arrived as an NPL player decided to make a drive across the pitch with the ball fixed to the end of the stick. He was heading in my direction, so with nothing better to do I figured "o come all ye faithful", laid my stick flat across his path while he was still a good 10 metres away (it seemed), and waited... and he ran straight into it, the ball detached from his stick, onto mine and we regained possession.

Goal number two arrived like Gabriel's message - Hutch receiving the ball and seeing the divine movement of Dav into the D. The pass was drilled, the deflection made, the goal scored.

I think it was now that we decided to allow NPL to deck the halls, as they managed to break into our D and force a short corner. The shot was both well struck and perfectly targeted, although I still believe that at the darkest midnight in December Hutch will wake feeling he should have stopped it.

From the restart Bash and myself decided to have our own little private game, stringing about 6 passes together between us with out moving, or in fact being challenged. Finally we decided to allow others in, the ball went to Chalky, then up to Jack who made a super run into the D, played the ball to the back post and there was Adam Cady to convert.

At half time dP's words were along the lines of "children, go where I send thee" and boy did we.

With myself and Steve playing more as left and right half than left and right back we pushed the game into the NPL half, giving them anything but a silent night (OK, mid-morning, but still far too early!)

Goals 4, 5 and 6 were again by virtue of hard running, great passing and some lovely touches. Will and Jack got two of them, but unfortunately guys I don't recall the details. I do know how Dav got his name on the scoresheet for the second time however. The virtues of recycling the ball were on display as it was played back to me just inside the opposition 23. I played it in to Mulley in the D, who turned and again the star of the east timed his run to perfection to convert at the far post.

There was plenty of time for a couple of people to make a shout for DOD votes:
Steve for playing the ball off the back line from just inside our half
Bash for getting a green card, bleeding and having the audacity to try and play on while doing so...

But none of that mattered as we closed the game out. A superb performance to round out the year.

POM was Dav for impeccable timing, great running and all round tenacity
DOD was Mulley, apparently 3 assists just isn't good enough!

Thanks to Steve McKeown for umpiring and Jenks for making the trip out to watch us.

All that remains for me to say is God rest ye merry gentlemen, have a fabulous Christmas and here's to plenty more similar performances in 2017!