COWHC Men's 2s vs Old Kingstonian Men's 1s - 30th Sept 2017

It started with a tingle of excitement, sunshine streaming through the curtains, the smell or freshly baked cakes and then the realisation that it begins today! That's right, hockey is back! With a new era dawning in the 2 XI, I lept out of bed to the sound of Crows cawing and my Crows shirt ready to be adorned.

As I picked up the debutant Joe Hyatt, I pondered whether he would turn out to be the jewel, plucked from the lower leagues, with raw pace and an eye for goal, the next Jamie Vardy....we will see.

After a morning cake delivery we arrived at CHS in glorious sunshine.

It started with the staggered arrival of the 2's squad, leading to the first warm up and pre-game prep of the season. Last seasons leader Cocksy, arriving flustered and very late, due to not being able to get k's frame on his bumper....not sure what he was talking about, but assume it was a code word for sexy time.

With the first win being the toss! 1-0 I hear you say..... it soon was, but not before the captain's first comical attempt of the season saw him throw himself at a ball crawling along the turf to try and poach an opening goal! He missed......and ended up colliding with the post resulting in embarrassment and a limp like Keyser Söze. After a strong start, the ball was pinged round the D till the midfield maestro, Sam Thompson himself, took the ball and with jedi composure, lifted the ball over a flat stick towards the skipper; (who, from here on in, due to a pending trademark and requirement in his sponsorship agreement will be known as #JP17). #JP17 with the audacity of CR7, the vision of Pele in his pomp and the ability to find an open corner his Indian heritage would be proud of, struck the ball between his legs past the despairing keeper for the first goal of the CROWS season.

Further composure, solid transfers and Raj Chatwal being transformed into Cafu, marauding up and down the right, turning defence into attack and breaking nutmeg records in the process, CROWS began to take control.

From such a break the ball from Raj found the debutant Joe wide right, with composure beyond his years he squared the ball to Ollie H poised at the top of the D. With a drop of the shoulder and a strike to goal being saved, the ball bounced back to Will C who slipped it to #JP17. With his back to goal, he spun to the right to give himself room and struck it round the keeper on his reverse for goal number 2! Some controversy followed as OK's felt there was an earlier infringement, the umpires reviewed and the goal was allowed.

As the half was ending OKs pushed forward and won a short corner. Our resident Irishman Steve running 1 thought it best to charge down the shot with his foot, leading to some discomfort and a second short corner. OKs converted 2-1!

As the timer ran down, CROWS found themselves on a fast break, #JP17 carrying the ball from the half way line drawing defenders the crowd cheering, with a deft slip to his left Indy was clean through! Cool and composed Indy lifts it over the now logged keeper into and empty net! But wait! The visiting umpire had already blown for half time! 2-1 at the half!

The second half whilst bereft of goals, wasn't without incident, Steve with a two footed slide tackle, Indy when running looked like he was wading through treacle (he was out sprinted to the ball by the goalkeeper), Joe showing the raw pace mentioned earlier, by out sprinting Indy to keep the ball in play, when he had started on the opposite side of the pitch and #JP17 producing a slide to stop the ball and then flick it between his legs to a teammate (all in front of the cheering crowd and later described as sexy by the man himself, resulting in a well deserved DOD!)

But the highlight and what can only be described as the moment of the match was MOM Raj anticipating a shot on goal, throwing himself full length superman style to flick the ball off the line and ensure the 3 points stayed with the CROWS!

All in all, a good day out, strong debuts from Roache in goal and Joe being a utility man. 3 points in the bag and we roll onto a local derby against Addiscombe next week.