3rd Xl's good form continues

On the wettest day of the Season and possibly the last 4 seasons, with matches cancelled elsewhere, SVHC 3s played K-Sports 3rd Xl at home. The fortunate aspect of the timing and availability of having access to two pitches proved fortunate. Sutton Valence School main pitch was not playable on arrival due to water across 65% of its surface, and between then and the intended Push Back, the pitches got much worse.
So with great sporting spirit, both teams, SVHC Umpires x2, and a few spectators moved from Senior to Prep astro, so the game started a little later. It was not a question of how wet was it going to be, but how exposed they would be to the elements of rain and wind at SVP, where the benefit was a very quick pitch benefiting from the rain, not too slippery underfoot and the Team Dugouts fortuitously protecting kit, man and ball from the elements.
SVHC 3rds started as they have been doing all season, looking to play quick passes, short in nature around the team while probing K-Sports defence, playing with the wind to SVHC’s back and rain across the pitch. SVHC continued to press K-Sports through the first half but with little return. K-Sports returned effort with their youth and quick release of the ball causing several scares in the first half, where SVHC defence, marshalled by Stewart Young ( seen shouting like Captain Ahab ( Moby Dick fame ) into the elements) managed to ensure K-sports where marked well and passing channels were blocked. And so the game ebbed and flowed with Valence managing to use both left and right wings to keep the pressure on K-Sports.
Eventually they managed the first of the 4 goals via a piece of open play, good ball and interplay down the right, the quick cross from Finlay Wishart (normally a keeper but taking a new role as right half) into the D, and across the penalty spot, for Rob Cockayne to swipe it under the keeper.
With a continued level of pressure, Duncan Wills managed to get a quick ‘knick’ of a goal.
Half time was a team chat in the shelter of the dugouts, now being battered by higher winds and colder air… “Do more of the same, keep the passing and stop playing the long ball”.
That said, SVHC had to weather a strong push from K-Sports who had changed formation as they now had the wind at their backs. Another 2 goals in the second half, one by Duncan Wills, which had several attempts to brush it past the K-Sports Keeper, and a second from Rob Cockayne.
Game finished with a little ray of sunshine, colder winds from the South, but a warm Match Tea and a pint awaited all at the Queens Head.

Goals: Rob Cockayne (2); Duncan Wills (2)

Team: Stewart Young, James Abraham, Rob Harrison, Andrew Wishart, Darren Thompson, Chris Jackson, Chris Stille, Duncan Fields, Finlay Wishart, Rob Cockayne, Duncan Wills.
Umpires (SVHC provided both): Johnny Walker / Chris Johnson and many thanks to them on a very wet/windy day.

Next week the 3rd Xl are away against Holcombe 6th Xl at 15.00.

Match Report by Andrew Wishart.