Sun 24th Febuary 2008

Kings School, Bruton

Won 2-0 (J.Edwards, J.Stevenson)

Player of the Match: Cali Smith

Team: Rory Edwards (c), Jamie Edwards, Pheobe Glenday, Cali Smith, Jamie Cranfield, Ralph Wheeler, Kit Hillier, Kate Sedgeman, Greg Rideout, Jenny Stevenson

The cider drinkers gathered for the first game of the season at the place where many started their hockey careers!! Some members of the formidable team were playing for the first time since they had left the hallowed grounds of King’s Bruton! The unfortunate opposition to experience the wrath of the Growers was Buckhorn Weston’s Stapleton Arms pub team who turned out to be worthy opponents!

Once we had got over the shock of the oppositions pink team shirts, or for the gentlemen in the team salmon, which all had a slogan with reference to the number one on the back; the most notable being the young female forward with the phrase ‘Give me 1’ written across her shoulders!! Plus the fact that we had to actually do some exercise the game got under way. There was a good mix of ages and talent in the Growers side with veterans (sorry Jamie Cranfield but a veteran is anyone older than me) and some new younger players, the future of the Apple Growers!

For a team that had never played together before, not even when we were at school, we gelled surprisingly quickly and spent much of the first half in the Buckhorn Western half with plenty of goal scoring opportunities, which if I’m honest were missed by me but that’s what happens when you put a defender up front!! In comparison Jenny Stevenson seemed to stroll round the opposition defence with easy, with great support from Jamie Cranfield on the left, who I can’t believe was only in the 3^rd’s at school!! It must be mentioned that Mr Cranfield wasn’t the oldest person on the field by a long way, Buckhorn Western boasted a 40 something father of three who, to huge annoyance, seemed to be everywhere the ball was, and if any of us can still run around like that when we get to that age well bring it on!! It was fantastic open flowing hockey with everyone getting involved, Jamie (Edwards) collecting and distributing the ball well to other Jamie on the left and Kate Sedgmen on the right. There was great energy, pace and skill from our new players Kit Lawson and Ralph Wheeler, stealing ball from the opposition and getting it up front.

The first half wasn’t all one sided and although Buckhorn Weston didn’t look that dangerous in front of goal it didn’t stop them trying. But never fear Growers fans Greg Ridout had a formidable back line of Kitty Hiller, Cali Smith, and Phoebe Glenday with Ralph Wheeler sweeping to help him out. It was like a brick wall, allowing the rest of the team to push up the field in the hope of scoring that elusive goal safe in the knowledge that the defence wall was ready for the counter attack! Buckhorn did get one piece of luck late on in the first half when Jamie Cranfield illegally used his body to stop a shot at goal, although not even a Jedi knight could have got out of the way it was deemed to be a penalty flick. Now Greg, I’m sure, has faced many flicks in his time being a rather unpredictable goal keeper, and after discussion in the opposition camp on who was going to take it, the unlucky sole, the Gareth Southgate stepped up. Now this poor unfortunate person had obviously been watching too much of the six nations rugby and stuck the ball clean over the cross bar, Johnny would have been proud! There were shouts of ‘good save’ and ‘we saw you touch that over the bar’ aimed at Greg!

After a tough first 30 with no goals for either side, the referee blew for half time which I have to say was welcomed by both teams. Now correct me if I’m wrong or have suddenly turned 50 but in my day we used to have half time oranges, or even in the later school years, half time jelly babies but Buckhorn Western had a special treat in store to help kick start the second half, half time Port!!! Very civilised and had it been our idea we may have had half time cider but nevertheless the liquor went down a treat!!

Fully revitalised by the grapey goodness the battle resumed and again the Growers stormed up the field determined to get a goal. It finally came mid way through the half, after a string of short corners throughout the match not challenging their keeper; it was time to change that! The push out, stopped by Jamie E, the hit at goal from Jamie C, the rebound and the follow up shot from Jamie E. Back of the net! It must have been the port!! The goal energised the team with attack after attack, more misses by me and more surging runs from Jenny, Jamie C, Kit and Kate. The defence were kept busy as the Growers forwards pushed up in search of more glory. The second and final goal of the game came form Jenny Stevenson; the opposition defence were caught napping by Jamie C, the darting run down the left, neat pass into the D, it was a confident and well earned goal giving the Cider Drinkers the victory.

What Sunday afternoon would be complete without a trip to the pub after some hard exercise! Post match drinks were well deserved by everyone who played, and Sarah from Buckhorn is very keen to make this a regular fixture. During the beer drinking and the pork pie eating it was decided that the man of the match award should go to Cali Smith who was pivotal to the defensive line up with good distribution, some great tackles and all round good play. It was a fantastic event, good quality hockey and with some excellent banter. So can I thank all those who played and those of you came to watch, and hopefully this will be the first of many more fixtures for the AGSC Hockey team so keep an eye on the website as the word on the grapevine is a Bath based fixture is coming up in April.

Rory Edwards