MATCH REPORT

After 11 games with zero points the Long Sutton Mens Firsts spent Christmas wondering what was going wrong and how would they get their first points. Different theories abounded, the curse of some tainted Malibu? The lack of a full English on a match day morning? The demise of the old pitch?.....................................all of these have their merits so it was a puzzled squad who came together for the first time in 2020. Missing Captain Fox (celebrating his age being bigger that his height in inches), Batten (missing in action) and Oldfield (social media surfing from a sunbed) the rest of the squad were hungry rather than in Hungary for action. With games on the new pitch, everyone arrived early to watch their mothers and brothers and sisters from other mothers show them how it was done – 4 games in and Sutton are unbeaten in beach hockey……………………………..a call up for Tokyo 2020 must be in the post. The pressure mounted yet the omens were good, there was a different feel to the air, a cool coastal breeze, a walk on a sandy beach, people wearing pool sliders – the only thing missing was donuts, ice creams and donkey rides, though it is rumoured that one team member had some spectacular success with his kiss me quick hat on New Years Eve! Baker had started the day with a full English, the new pitch is down, Burton had his swagger back, Whitmore had forsaken Posh and Ellis was ready to do his best Simply Red impression and to once again hold back the years! The game started and Sutton got down to business under the lights at the astro, taking the game to Horncastle with Taylor, Baker , Will White and Canham linking up well up front – it was no surprise when Baker scored a fantastic finish to make it 1-0! Still Sutton pushed on and it was deserved when Baker made it 2-0 from another good finish. The game changed a little at this point, was it the heady heights of being in the lead or was it a fightback from Horncastle………………………………….a little from column A and a little from column B I suspect. Horncastle got a goal back – Sutton rotated with good support from the bench from East, Braginton and Collingwood-Smith and got to half time 2-1 leaders. The second half started with good pressure from Horncastle but Baguley, Burton, Harry Synott and Ed white held firm in front of the impressive Whitmore in goal – Jacob Synott anchored the midfield well all game and Ellis showed how a hockey brain is an excellent asset to have in a game like this. Despite the hard work, Horncastle found an equaliser that pleased their travelling fans and the game entered an exciting final 10 minutes where it was end to end – Whilst there was pressure from both teams, Suttons defence coped better with Baguley showing a maturity of leadership in the back four and Ed White pushing himself to the edge to keep Sutton in the game – Burton was the Old Burton and Synott showed what we will miss when he proves he was born on the Astro but made in the Navy! We were not finished though! Baker having taken cramp breaks, umpire breaks and break breaks decided he needed to give this fairy tale a final chapter and so Boom……………..there it is! 3-2, a hat trick from the man of the match and a first win……and so the Green Army lived by the sea near their beautiful sandy green and blue pitch ever after!