Mens 1 vs Sudbury 1

Dear Fans, I hope you've had a hockey filled weekend. I certainly have, which included the ones social on Saturday night to watch the MK lightning storm to a victory playing (Ice) Hockey. Do you want to hear about the social? Probably. I'll just say Henry wore a giraffe onesie and the brothers Kimberley enjoyed some midnight burgers on station road.

I'll wind back the clock to earlier on Saturday... in fact earlier in the season. Yet to register a win after three games. The first was a frustrating draw, the second a disappointing loss, and the third was a phenomenal draw.

Last week our defence kept us in the game and the forwards nicked a goal. We trained on Wednesday with the intent of scoring, Coach Dom figuring out that in order to win a hockey game, you kind of have to put the ball in the goal.

This week we faced Sudbury, an unknown quantity who were promoted last year into the division. Sudbury started interestingly, from the off the centre mid aerialled the ball straight over our forwards and midfield. The aerial was ok, but Tom Bunbury collected with ease and passed the ball off before Sudbury's hounding forward could put him under pressure.

Not only running the training session on how to score, Dom took it upon himself to demonstrate to the rest of us in a live environment how one would go about changing the scoreboard. A smartly struck reverse stick effort left their keeper no chance.

Harps 1 - 0 Sudbury

It felt like we were on top, we needed to consolidate our lead and that consolidation came in the shape of George. Behaving like a prime Lionel Messi down the left flank, into the D a one-two with Mox (i guess he'd be Iniesta?) and a neat finish for a very well worked goal .

Harps 2 - 0 Sudbury

They scored. Durbs was told to leave the man at the far post, he did. I was then told to mark the man at the far post. I didn't as there was absolutley no way the ball was going through about 6 sticks and finding that player, i figured i'd mark the danger area. Turns out the ball behaved like a Snitch, disapparated through the sticks and found the man still lurking at the back post.

Half time: Harps 2 - 1 Sudbury

Henry had a tough time stopping at short corners in the first half. So tough in fact that Alan Sanders offered his old coat to be wrapped around Henry's stick to act as some cushioning. Thankfully Skills was on the pitch and took on stopping responisibilities, producing a stop so exquisite it was worthy of a sonic boom! Dom rifled one into the net.

Harps 3 - 1 Sudbury

It rained. They scored.

Harps 3 - 2 Sudbury

We had a beautiful phase of pass pass pass, nothing fancy just really simple short sharp passes with the forward line leading and receiving, resulting in Mox having the ball in an unmissable position. He duly slotted the ball into the open goal.

Harps 4 - 2 Sudbury

It rained a hell of a lot. They scored. I was on the bench.

Harps 4 - 3 Sudbury

We needed some comfort. Dom seemed to accelerate with the pace of a greyhound chasing a rabbit. (for my daughter Lulu: don't worry the doggies only want to play with the bunny). Beat about half their team, enters the D, falls over, but in the motion of falling over slides the ball under, over and around the keeper.

Harps 5 - 3 Sudbury.

Finally we registered our first win of the season. Five goals is no easy feat so well done to the midfield and forwards this week.

Hugs, Reesy