Harlequins Mens Hockey Match Report

Pinch me now - I think I'm dreaming...

Harlequins (E) 6 - Ashton (B) 2

Division 3

17th February 2002 at 2:30pm (ish..)

For those of you who happened to be walking around Cork City centre at about 4:00pm on Sunday, you might have heard numerous loud bangs, and pops. Fear not! It was just the champagne being popped for the second Sunday in a row, by the Harlequins Mens 5th Team - and what a team!!

Our second win of the season (and our second win in two games) has lifted our morale into the stratosphere. Captain marvelous, Alan Mathewson was skipping up and down the left wing like a eighteen year old sprinter all afternoon, and the only shock was that he netted a mere two goals rather than the six or seven that he should have. Jug avoidance possibly being the only valid excuse, but seeing as he bought numerous drinks in the bar afterwards, we'll say no more. In any case, his wife is probably pleased with our continued winning streak, as her weekly washing load has decreased substancially - Alan has sworn that his entire kit will remain unwashed until we next lose - no wonder the fella marking him kept his distance...

Quins were 2 - 1 to the good at half time thanks to a very well taken goal by Richard Clarkson from the top of the D, and a tap in by Alan, after good work from Peter Payne down the right. However, sloppy defending at a short corner gave Ashton a brief glipse of hope just before the interval.

It was in fact at half-time that we noticed that Leslie was not his usual perky self. The green colour around his cheeks, and the fact that he couldn't break into a run for more than three paces (the norm for the fifths being four or five paces), should really have let us know that there was something wrong, but such was the Quins dominance in that first period, that we just paid no heed. Enquires at half time revealed that Mr Daunt had been at a 'Divorce' party the night before, and errrmm...well...hadn't actually gotten home until two hours before the match. Hangovers, it is to be noted, are not allowed in fifth team hockey!!

The second half went well from the start, with Eamonn Hearne, who was on loan from the 4ths, charging up and down the pitch like the twenty-odd year old that he is (oh how I remember those days...) and in the process doing an excellent closing down job on Ashton's main threat - Kieth Banks.

The Quins goals came thick and fast with Richard Clarkson hitting another fine strike from distance, Peter Payne hitting a sweet shot low into the left hand corner from a short corner, Ashley Esterhauzen with a powerful shot from the top of the D, and another tap in from El Capitano, Alan. We won't even discuss the misses. Alan missed loads, and Jim Burfield managed to hit the keeper three times, when scoring would probably have been easier, although the lob shot from the right was well saved.

The second Ashton goal came shortly after Quins buried their fourth - straight from the push back actually, 'cos the Quins midfield were so shagged from running the length of the field to score number four on the break, that they couldn't get the legs moving to cover the Ashton revenge attack! In fairness, the defence capitulated as well, with Kieth Banks rounding FIVE Quins players before laying the ball back to one of his colleagues for an easy tap-in. Cue a Clive Brooks tantrum in the Quins goal - it's the first time he's said a word all season actually...