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| Hockey 2nd XI Team 'Blog' |
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Match 5 Eagle House v Hall Grove Wednesday 25 February at Wellington
Eagle House 3 Hall Grove 3 Team: Daniel Rayner, George Arnold-Wallinger, ,William Beedham, Thor Winkler, Reece Williams, Sean McCarten, William Rasmussen, Josh Blosse, Karim Sheikh, Patrick Dow & Hamza Rubbani
Goals: Karim Sheikh & William Rasmussen (2) 3 weeks after our last match and with only 1 practice session in the last 10 days we met a very skilful and determined Hall Grove side. We proceeded to concede within 2 minutes and it looked as though the lack of time together would cost us dearly. Hall Grove worked the ball extremely well around us with a lot of short give and go passing movements and we appeared mesmerized at times. In our panic, we would hit the ball without looking and inevitably, it would go straight to a Hall Grove player. After 10 minutes, we began to settle more and could exert some pressure of our own. Having been awarded four penalty corners, we scored from one through Karim Sheikh who took it well on the back post. Then we quickly conceded again and went into the interval 2 - 1 down. The coached expressed some displeasure and passed on the notion that we needed to communicate better and stay sharper at the back. That we needed to push forward in numbers when we had the ball, that support had to be better and that we should use the wings more to spread the game and create more space. The boys duly conceded again! Then miraculously, the team started to stir. Players were running and fighting for the ball. We started to call and talk and play shorter passes to players in support. Spaces opened up and we shot into them like lizards hiding from the volatile sun. We began to play properly and the rest came easily. Sport is mostly played in the head. I am absolutely certain of it. As we had more of the ball because we were now doing the right things, we began to believe in ourselves. 3 - 1 down and we were now playing the better hockey for much of the half. Cue William Rasmussen with 2 goals on the far post, textbook in their simplicity as we attacked well, hit shots and William did the rest. His second alone deserves a paragraph to itself. A real team goal! The ball was won in defence by William and Reece. The ball was passed out to Thor, outstanding on the right of defence. Thor hit the ball up to Karim who deftly flicked the ball on towards Sean on the right wing. Sean scampered down the wing and sent in a fantastic cross that shot past the flailing pads of the keeper with William waiting to sweep the ball into the unattended corner. Brilliant! After that, both teams had the chance to win the game, however a draw was a fair result and to dwell on our missed chance would to do our team, especially the striker involved and Hall Grove a disservice. The boys have shown that they do have what it takes. Now we have to show this from the very beginning of the match. Be positive and work hard from the start. That is what is required.
Match 4 Eagle House v Hoe Bridge Wednesday 4 February at Wellington
Eagle House 7 Hoe Bridge 1 Team: Daniel Rayner, Robert Hwang,William Beedham, Thor Winkler, Reece Williams, Sean McCarten, William Rasmussen, Josh Blosse, Karim Sheikh, Eoin O'Kane, Patrick Dow & Hamza Rubbani
Goals: Karim Sheikh, Eoin O'Kane/William Rasmussen, Josh Blosse (2) & Patrick Dow (3) Having conceded a goal in the first few minutes, I was concerned that perhaps this would be another case of 'batten the hatches'! The truth was we were caught cold and the score spurred us on to our best performance by far this term. Our defence was much more secure in this match and were able to push right up the pitch, thereby giving a lot support to the midfield and attack and closing down the space that Hoe Bridge had to start their attacks in. We scored 2 goals in the first half through Karim and then Josh Blosse. The second was right at the end of the half and Hoe Bridge were holding their own well. What happened in the second half was, of course, down to an inspirational speech by the Coach!! The team were told to push forward in numbers and score more goals!!!! So, they did. Josh Blosse got the third goal, 20 seconds into the half. Then in a goal mouth scramble, Eoin O'Kane struck the ball across the goalkeeper who got a pad to it, but the ball carried on rolling into the corner of the goal....for William Rasmussen to push in. Since the ball was going in anyway, but William was following in as he had been told to do, I said the boys could share the goal. Finally, Patrick Dow who was on fire today scored a hat-trick. All of which were very well taken. One was a smash from just inside the semi-circle into the corner. One was a poachers goal as he cracked the ball into the goal after a save by the keeper and the final one was taken at close range and 'dinked' past the keeper. What I was happy most with was our improved communication on the pitch and the short passes we were playing around their players. Gone are days of hit and hope as our midfield of Karim and Josh, aided by William Rasmussen and Sean McCarten commanded the game and linked the play extremely well. Well done boys!!
Match 3 Eagle House v Dragon School Saturday 31 January Away
Eagle House 0 Dragon 3 Team: Daniel Rayner, Robert Hwang, Josh Blosse, Thor Winkler, Sean McCarten, William Rasmussen, William Beedham, Karim Sheikh, Eoin O'Kane, Reece Williams, & Hamza Rubbani Nil, Nil at half time and we were playing exceptionally well in a very even game. Then as we started to get tired and failed to use the right wing, Dragon were able to pile on the pressure until the first goal went in from a defensive mistake. After that, we looked frail at the back and players committed themselves too easily, making it easy for Dragon players to create space for themselves. We did have some very good possession also and a number of our players performed brilliantly. Plaudits should go to Robert, Karim, Hamza and Will Rasmussen in particular and special mention should go to Sean McCarten for his continual racing up and down the right side, despite getting no service! Reece also played well and cleared up a great deal of attacks from his sweeper position. So, to improve we need to: 1. Learn to support one another and look to play short passes around players, rather than whack the ball up front and hope. 2. Look to play with the left shoulder pointing towards the opponents goal, thereby making passes to the right much easier! 3. Don't over commit when facing an opponent. Stand to the left, forcing the player to go to your strong side, keep your stick low and jockey the opponent, making your tackle as he pushes the ball forwards.
Match 2 Eagle House v Parkside Wednesday 28 January Away
Eagle House 0 Parkside 7 Team: Daniel Rayner, Max Medlock, Robert Hwang, Josh Blosse, Hamza Rubbani, Sean McCarten, William Rasmussen, Eoin O'Kane, Reece Williams, Thor Winkler, Karim Sheikh, Patrick Dow & George Arnold-Wallinger This was indeed a game of two halves. The first half saw us fall behind by six goals. The second half saw a much improved performance, with the team demonstrating greater effort and tactical understanding which led to just one goal against us. Parkside were very strong at 2nd team level. A number of their players play hockey outside of school and all understand the way in which it should be played. A number of their players and one in particular made it look gloriously simple. Their passing and moving was exceptional with every member of the team able to support the ball carrier. Their star player could dribble as fast as we could run and knew exactly how to create room for himself. It was a very tough first half for the defence and the goalkeeper. In the second half, a change of personnel in various positions and a more solid defence saw us attack more and cope better with the Parkside threat. However, we were so concerned about defence that once the ball was with our forwards, players were unable to support them. Now that our defence is stronger and better organized, we need to learn to support better and to hold the ball while waiting for the support to come.
Match 1 Eagle House v Caldicott Wednesday 21 January Away
Eagle House 0 Caldicott 3 Team: Daniel Rayner, Max Medlock, Robert Hwang, Hamza Rubbani, Sean McCarten, William Rasmussen, Eoin O'Kane, Reece Williams, Thor Winkler, Karim Sheikh, Patrick Dow, George Arnold-Wallinger & Oliver Cooke Our first match saw us play a team with a two match head start on us. At first this did not show and we traded good attacks with Caldicott for much of the first half. Then Caldicott began to find their feet and their passing moves became quick and decisive. As our players got lured into tackles, they passed the ball around us well and we found ourselves unable to defend in adequate numbers all through the second half. From now on, I would like to see the defence and midfield get back quickly and hold their positions better, limiting the space that was so evident in this match. Every boy worked very hard today, and with some more sessions under their belt, I feel sure that they will remember their lessons and put this match behind them with some much better performances in the future. |
