Men's 2s
Team Report 2007/2008
Second half of season
Having only managed 7 points from the first half of the season the pressure was on to get some wins fast to stave off the threat of relegation. This was always going to be tough in the 1st game back outdoor against Grange who were fielding a very strong line-up. We took the field with a team with an average age of 26 with only 2 players actually in their twenties it gives you an indication of the blend of youth and experience that we have relied upon this season! A gallant display, inspired by a wonderful goalkeeping display from Darren Cavaroli, ended in a 4-1 defeat but it set us up well for a run of 3 home games that really were ‘must win’.
The 3 home games garnered 9 points and beating the hapless Stirling Uni 6-2, Ayr 4-1 and Edinburgh Uni in a 4-3 thriller!! This was the first time that we has won 3 on the trot for many a year and it allowed us to go to Hillhead with a little confidence and another 4-3 win allowed us to guarantee Central 1 hockey next season! The last couple of games in Glasgow went as games in Glasgow normally go with a struggle to get teams out and a hefty pasting from Western and Clydesdale.
At the end of the season we have used 43 players! The usual suspects of yesteryear played a large part in the success with Hogie weighing in with 8 goals and plenty of advice! Malcolm scored an excellent 9 in only 8 games and we were undoubtedly better when he was playing even if many an umpire may have wished he wasn’t! Our Keepers were competing weekly for a starting slot and Wayne and Adam both saved us on many an occasion and I was even forced to go back between the sticks myself and I am enormously sympathetic to their cause now! King Ralph, Baz and Rich Matheson in defence were helped enormously in the pace department by the excellent work of schoolboys James Bailey, who was a clear winner of the player of the year, and Fraser Sands. Also good to see the return to the fray of the Alasdair ‘veteran at 29’ Swan to help out and that of Richard ‘Club Legend’ Booth who brought great experience and a few timely goals to the team. In midfield Craig Paterson remains the only player capable of actually ‘holding’ in the holding role and he was ably joined by Messrs Irvine and Stephens who added a bit of Irish ‘tenacity’ to the team. Adding the experience and competitiveness of Kev Doyle made the midfield not a place for the faint hearted! Up front the blistering pace of yours truly was augmented perfectly by the skill and goals of Hogie and Malc whilst we were all impressed with the ability of Ali Jameson to glide past opponents as if they weren’t there! Youngsters Jake Hibbert and Duncan Riddell also showed that the future of the club is bright.
A big thanks to all the players who helped out this season and to Rendo and Dougie for finding me players at short notice! And also a big thanks to the umpires, Darren Cavaroli, Neil Martin, Niall Aitken, George Thornton, James Byers, Sue Webber and any others I have forgotten! Also thanks to Craig P and Malc who umpired for other teams in return.
Looking forward to next year already as Ayr have been promoted!!!!! One less horrific road trip to organise!
See the final table here
First half of season
The season has improved as we have gone on and has definitely benefited from at last a settled squad. So far this season I have called upon 34 players. That is untrue, this is the number that has played for us - I have called on many more!!!! I thank all those who have made the effort to play in all the games but special mention should go to those who played in the fixtures that no-one else wanted to! That includes a lot of guys from the 1s and 3s and I especially want to thank the eight that stood with me against Kelburne IIs in September. Many of them were making their debuts and even more remarkable was that after the 22-0 defeat, all of them were still willing to play for the club! Wayne deserves great credit as he was playing his first game in about 10 years and despite letting in 22 goals was probably our man of the match and I’m not having a laugh! He mentioned afterwards that he was claiming for offside early doors before realising that the rule didn’t exist any more. I’m sure with the old rules we’d have kept it down to under 20!!! He has recovered incredibly well and has been an excellent addition to the squad, keeping Adam on his toes and giving me selection problems of a good kind!
Also, it has been a delight to see so many youngsters making the breakthrough this season. Paul Ralph reads the game very well, the timing in the tackle of Barry Campbell is impeccable and the attacking finesse that young David Hogarth and goal scoring of Malcolm Reid means the future of the club seems bright! Joking aside, the 2s have been delighted with the form and attitude of schoolboys James Bailey, Ally Jamieson, Jake Hibbert and Fraser Sands. They have fitted in really well and the biggest compliment I can give them is that I suspect a few of them will be in Dougie’s squad before the season is over!
Results have been mixed. We had an awful start as people were slow to return to the hockey fold but as I said, as soon as we got our squad settled and goal machine Reid came back from his sabbatical in the 1s, we started to get the results I know we are capable of. The wins against Inverleith and Clydesdale showed us what we need to do. A bright start to 2008 and our usual mid-table mediocrity is in sight!
Thanks to all who have umpired so far. It is a thankless task at the best of times, but fortunately we have Malc and Hogie to keep the umpires informed of the rules and how they should be applied!
See the final table here
