Cheam M1 2 - 7 THD M3
Saturday 7 October 2023
Nonsuch High School
Match Report
It was an early start for the M3s with a cruel 10am push back in the suburbs of SW London. As the team arrived at Nonsuch High School, passing the school’s private David Lloyds and underground car park, supplied with chai lattes and cinnamon, there was some intimidation tactics from the home team. Questionable music played from the speakers during a rather rushed warm up, punctuated by “number-gate” from the home team umpires, threatened to disrupt THDs undefeated start to the season with skipper Tim Patton having to start alongside Sam Rowland in the centre of defence in what was already a ragtag defensive line up (further supporting the reports of a Defensive Union strike that dominated the pre match headlines over a lack of PPE provided. Tim Patton was happy to tell reporters after the game that he had spoken with Union head, Tim Revill, and the issue has now been resolved).
However, despite the controversial build up, THD came straight out of the blocks and took control of the game, looking calm in possession and threatening in attack. And the early pressure paid off after 7mins when Henry Martindale was able to sneak a reverse push past the keeper after a dangerous ball played into the D. THD did not stop there though and continued with their foot on the gas and Jack “master of rizz” Swift finished nicely twice in quick succession to take the score to 3 nil and his tally up to 3 for the season in as many games.
However as the half drew to a close, THD got a little too comfortable and paid the price. A soft short corner goal followed by a hospital pass that Sam Rowland would be proud of from Tim Patton led to the 2 sides going into half time at 3-2. An injustice of the highest order based on the teams performance but a lesson learned that unforced errors will cost us in this league.
In years gone by spectators might have been forgiven to believe that this would instigate the collapse of THD 3s, one only has to look back as far as last season when a post Christmas slump almost bottled automatic promotion. But not this year. Inspiring words from Henry Martindale at half time to keep our discipline, followed shortly by his own green card dismissal for ill discipline, turned out to be the catalyst THD needed. As Cheam pushed forward, smelling blood against 10 men, Fergus Neve stepped up to take a 16 and launched the ball skyward. The ball travelled the full length of the pitch, from one D to the other, where ex-keeper-turned-forward Rufus Hughes took one touch and smashed the ball into the back of the net on the half volley. Goal of the season contender without doubt. The goal silences the home team and its crowd while the THD players go wild.
Spurred on by this incredible goal, THD go back on the front door as Will Jobes gives the keeper the eyes and slides one in from a tight angle, before turning provider, beating a couple players and finding Tom Bowrey who dinks it over the onrushing keeper into the empty net. Finally Gabriel Lane finished off the scoring in the closing minutes with another well taken finish to make it 7-2, with all 6 forwards getting on the scoresheet.
An impressive win for the 3s as they make it back to back wins and 7 points from the opening 3 games, leaving them joint second in the league.
MOM - Tom Stanley / Fergus Neve for very assured performance at RB and for some incredible aerials respectively.
DOD - Tim “hospital pass” Patton