Braintree Men’s 1st XI vs Brentwood Hockey Club Men’s 1st XI

Braintree Hockey Club
23/09/23 - 13:30
Final score: 2 - 5

Andy Turner
Brady Doyle
Colin Bannell (VC)
Derry Mager
George Lilley (C)
Jacob Macdonnell
Jak Taylor
Matt Hadley
Owen Smith (GK)
Paddy Wilson
Simon Chambers
Steve Gilchrist
Tom Anderson
Tom Creswell
Tristan Barnes

Henry Macdonnell (Cameraman)
Alan Lindsay (Coach)

The team were very happy to see Tom ‘Big T’ Anderson make his first team league debut.

To begin the season with a hard gruelling 1-1 draw vs Old Southendians, Brentwood had to, and I repeat had to, get 3 points on the road away at Braintree - with Braintree getting a good result the weekend before the bookies had it as a tight game but Brentwood had other ideas! The loss of the 21/22 player of the season Henry ‘Mac’ Macdonnell due to a break on his fibula sent shockwaves throughout the whole of Brentwood but it’s now up to Tom ‘Big T’ Anderson to fill those shoes. Hopes were high going into the game with new captain George Lilley leading a now well polished warm-up routine which seemed to give Brentwood the edge as soon as they stepped on the pitch; Braintree lacking behind Brentwood’s explosive start.

As the game began it was a quick start for Brentwood, inside 2 minutes it was Andy who opened the scoring after Jacob ‘Snatch’ Macdonnell (brother of the 21/22 player of the season) had found space and cut it across the goal for an easy tap in 1-0 Brentwood.

It didn’t stop there as Brentwood won a short corner in the sixth minute and it was a tough decision for the corner attack; who steps up to the plate, but it was the great George Lilley who riffled one past the Braintree corner defense. 2-0 Brentwood, the eagles were flying high! Braintree started to grow into the game for the next couple minutes, but Brentwood didn’t relent, they had the mentality to keep going and Brady Doyle was able to score miraculously, something he had been unable to do all last season! He was lucky enough to get it on camera for his A level PE assessment. (I say luckily as we all know it will be his first and last goal of the season, sorry Brady). At 3-0 up Brentwood were cruising, or so they thought, but it became scrappy all over the place; we couldn’t keep the ball for more than 2 passes. Braintree were able to get a goal back as the defense were caught out making it 3-1.

Big T was brought on at this stage by coach Alan on what was his first team league debut so he was able to get some vital minutes on the pitch and settle any nerves. It was during this period that the umpire gave him a talking to for no reason at all after a Braintree player fouled him. If I had to guess during this brief discussion Big T would have mentioned that he is sponsored by Y-1 and asked if he needed any discounts.

Moving on, the game continued to be all over the place and Braintree took advantage of this as Brentwood were caught on the counter-attack. The defense seemed to be scared of going into contact with the ball (even though Colin ‘Guns’ Bannell was on the pitch, who is normally like a Spanish bull hunting down the ball as if it were the red flag). Braintree scored and made it 3-2, Brentwood getting flashbacks from Upminster last season where they threw away a 4 goal lead, were determined to get back into the game and they did just that. Towards the end of the first half Brentwood won a corner, the ball was played in the air and Snatch saw red as he almost killed a Braintree player with a wild swing, but to be fair to him, we all would have gone for glory only a few yards out from goal. With that bombshell, the first half ends 3-2 to Brentwood.

Going into the second half Brentwood were determined to get back on top but they didn’t start too well. 5 minutes in Andy got into a challenge with an opposition player and was certain that he won the ball (he didn’t) and was shown green. Down to 10 for a while, Brentwood found their rhythm and started playing the ball around better with some nicely executed manoeuvres. Not much to say for the next 10 minutes other than a Braintree player seemingly trying to pull down our captain's shorts… after he elegantly passed him. The Braintree player was shown green, harsh in the eyes of the Brentwood bench. 5 minutes later it got worse for Braintree as one of their players was shown yellow and Brentwood took advantage. As Guns was getting called off, he went rogue on a goal hunt but it paid off as he was successful! The ball pulled back from the base line by Lilley was finished off calmly by Guns in the far corner of the Braintree goal. Coming off with the biggest smile in the world, you would have thought he’d just discovered a new exotic fruit. Brentwood continued the great hockey as they regained their form of the start of the first half and made it 5-2 with a disputed Jak / Derry goal?! Still being decided, but I think we should give it to Jak to make him feel better with his height. Brentwood saw the game out and ended it 5-2.

Overall Brentwood got the result they needed and walked off buzzing, exactly what was needed after last week's result. The team voted player of the match to be the legend Tristan ‘Transit’ Barnes who gave one of the best reviews of a Ford Transit before the game. DOTD, for his card and also turning up to the club even though no one was there, was Andy .

It was a great day for Brentwood, the morale boost that was needed and onto the next one against Witham 1s, Saturday 30th Becket Keys at 14:15.