Calf sprain stops play

A couple of weeks ago, I turned up half-way through the second half of a Men's 1st XI match, prior to umpiring the following 3rd XI match, to notice that our captain, Warren, was on the sideline.  I asked him why he wasn't playing and he said he had a hamstring.  This is a problem I am familiar with so I helpfully said that the way I had avoided hamstring recurrence, was to wear thermal leggings, at which point I raised my shorts to show that I was indeed wearing said apparel.  Warren laughed and said he wouldn't be seen dead in tights, at which point, I sniffily remarked that he would in that case probably be spending a lot of time on the sidelines.

The 1sts finished and we prepared for our next match, Bob umpiring opposite me, and in due course the match commenced.  A few minutes before half-time a goal was scored and as I jogged back to the half-way line, my calf seized up.  Umpire injured stopped play for 5 minutes, and after resuming, I was only able to hobble a few paces.  After the match finished we went down to the clubhouse for some beer and tea, and Warren noticed me limping and, laughing, then asked why my thermals had failed me.  Sadly, I had no answer.

This week I had hoped my calf had healed, and I intended to play 3rds, but, (and even with thermals on), my calf went again after 10 minutes, and although I made a couple more attempts, my playing time was very limited.  Fortunately, the 3rds went on to record their first point of the season, equalising from a short corner with the very last hit of the game.  I gave a cheer, and I think I pulled my calf more.  However with the general excitement and relief and having at last earned a point, having come very close in several previous matches, the pain was soon forgotten.

Sunday I umpired a couple of games: our two U14 boys teams played each other and ended up a goal apiece in an end-to-end game, and then our U18 girls played Banbury in a super England Hockey match that our girls lost 2-3, but were pushing hard for the equaliser in the dying seconds, Hannah in goal having also saved a penalty flick.

So, my calf is still sore, and I'm still hobbling a bit, but I plan to give it another go on Saturday, after all, Christmas recovery time is just around the corner.  Anyway, if I can't play, a limping umpire is (contentiously) better than a not-so-smug thermally lined limping sweeper.

Just five more minutes

I was reminded at our committee meeting last Monday that it was a while since I'd written anything, so the first win of the season seemed like an opportune moment.  It is of course, always nice when the first win of the season is in the first game, but sometimes that doesn't happen, and it's a few games before that magic moment.  We'd started off with a 2-2 draw, which given we'd been 2 down, seemed like a win, but it has taken a month for the first real win to materialise.  Following our magnificent 3-0 victory, we adjourned to the Tring bar for some chips, ruminations, Man-of-the-match and donkey.  Our discussions were delayed by half the team deciding to go to Tescos, and then back up Tring high street, despite the fact that the pitch is almost visible from the clubhouse, and Tescos was on the other side of the road from the clubhouse.  This very nearly won the donkey award, but in the end, Steven won it for the weediest goal ever scored, being back heeled a few inches over the line by the opposition keeper, from a shot which Dec (or possibly George) described as 'even my granny could have stopped that'.  However, Steven balanced it up with the man-of-the-match too, a feat his dad had managed a fortnight previously.  Normally we don't like award-hogging, but in the case of a man-of-the-match also being the donkey, we're prepared to make an exception.

After the 5s, I went to umpire the Vintage, only to be requested to play, which given that the Vints are in a different league, you are allowed to do.  I'd like to point out that I am a year too young, but given that the previous week Sean's daughter had played, I don't think that anyone thinks that means anything.  Still, just thought I'd mention it, before I join the FABS next year (Fifty And Beyond Society).  Whew, Canterbury were good.  I thought we played out of our skins to just lose 0-4, especially given the fact that last year's champions had lost 0-8 to them the previous week.

After a beer with the Vints, I returned to Newlands to umpire the 4ths, who were beaten by a strong Wycombe side.  Good match again though.  And so finally to today's match, and the piece-de-resistance, the U14 Development As (one of our joint sides with Gerrards Cross) against Milton Keynes.  We started off at breakneck speed and after 20 minutes were 3-0 up, 2 from Tom M, one from Joe, all in open play after some strong approach work, after the MK keeper had saved several times.  MK shuffled their side and brought on some new players, and in 5 minutes before half-time scored 3 to draw level, 2 from short corners.  From the restart, MK powered forward to catch us on the hop and went ahead.  MK pressed forward, and only some great saves from William and last ditch defence kept them out. Finally ACGX broke forward and Tom M scored again for his hatrick and to draw level.  Almost from the off, ACGX attacked, but MK once again replied with a well taken breakaway to take the lead.  After that, it was end-to-end, as ACGX pushed for the equaliser again, with Tom M having a goal disallowed for being high from a short (the umpire commented that he felt bad having to disallow such a great reverse stick goal), but it was MK who caught us on the break for a 6th and then almost immediately a 7th.  The game looked over but still it was end-to-end with Tom M again scoring from a short to bring the score back to 5-7, and then with 5 minutes to go, and ACGX pressing increasingly hard, Will forced home a short corner rebound to make it 6-7.  Could ACGX come back from 3 down as MK had done earlier?  All the parents on both sides were now screaming furiously as every player on both sides was playing flat out, as MK went for a killer 8th on the break and ACGX pushed forwards desperately for the equaliser.  ACGX pressed still harder with a minute to go, and with MK pinned back in their 25, the MK keeper made a great save with the end of his toe, and then again in a one-on-one from Tom B, when the final whistle went.  Elation from MK at having hung on, and rueful smiles from ACGX, but both sides shook hands and chatted excitedly, the umpires commented on what a great game it had been, parents commented on how pleased they had been to make the trip for such an exciting match, and I'm not sure whether it was the parents or the boys who were more flushed.  Nick said he was sure that with just 5 more minutes they could have equalised and maybe even won.  Sometimes it's a shame when somebody has to lose, but a match like that is what the thrill is all about.

Inches matter (or cm if you are metrically inclined)

Yesterday we went into our match with Bracknell undefeated in the year and brimming with confidence.  That is to say, we played our first match of the year last week and unexpectedly we won.  Surprisingly, I even scored.  This week we knew we had a tough opposition as they beat us convincingly at the start of the season.  It was a great match, half adults and half older juniors on both sides, and fairly evenly matched.  After a goalless first half, thanks in large part to some excellent keeping from Harry, Bracknell finally scored with 10 minutes to go.  Cue a spirited drive from A&C to equalise.  With 30 seconds to go, we hit the outside of the nearpost.  Bracknell immediately drove up the match and with A&C having committed players up front to equalise, Bracknell broke into our D and with the last hit of the game crashed the ball in off the inside of our far post.  By such small margins are matches won and lost, or in our case drawn and lost.  A really entertaining match though.  Congratulations to Jasper for his first ever adult game, and along with Harry, our joint man-of-the-match. 

As we were the late match, rather than return to our clubhouse we retired to our 'Sunday room' in the pavilion by our pitch.  We find that at 6 o'clock on a Saturday evening, few people want to travel to a clubhouse away from the pitch, as they usually need to get away for parties and dinner, and this also impacts on our ability to hire the clubhouse out on Saturday evenings, which is needed commercially to make the club viable.  Our pavilion is a little run down, but with two teams in there, some beer for the adults, some cheese and pate on baguettes, and some comfy sofas, it was a great atmosphere.  It shows what a difference it makes having a clubhouse by the pitch, and hopefully when we get our new clubhouse by our new pitches, it will give the club a fantastic social environment.

This morning I watched our U14 boys against Aylesbury, which was another good game, although won 5-1 by Aylesbury thanks to a late very skilful and fast addition to Aylesbury's side who scored 4 and set up 1.  Jake scored a blinder reverse into the top right corner to pull us back to 1-2, but Aylesbury's goal machine scored 3 in the last 10 minutes to put the match beyond us.  Excellent play by all our lads though, with the goalie, James, once again the man-of-the-match for a string of super saves.

Afterwards, as one sport is not enough, I went to watch Jamie's football match second half.  Jamie was playing the team at the top, and they showed why with some excellent football, though with Prestwood hanging in.  2-1 down with 10 minutes to go, the opposition broke through and the ball was destined for the bottom corner when Jack got a hand to it to turn it round the post.

The week before, Harry didn't have much to do, and sometimes neither do James or Jack, but this week all were called upon on many occasions, and both stepped up, and it took some excellent goals to beat them.  That can be the way with goalkeeping, whether football or hockey: periods of relative inactivity, followed by frantic activity, and to balance that is not easy, but crucial to all sides, so well done to all goalkeepers everywhere that stand between the posts.