Upminster 5’s – 0 The Academy – 11

Robin Beck topped the hit parade in 1988 with ‘First Time. ‘ Including the immortal line

“Like a break in the clouds and the first ray of sun
I can feel it inside something new has begun.”

The Academy match was like that. A lot of very first times. The highlights being George Mortlock and Fraser Forbes netting their first senior competitive goals. Dan Todd with his first competitive clean sheet in his second start (third game).

It was great to welcome back Paul Colman for his first game of the season after summer knee surgery.

Other first times included Stuart Piper being called a w*****r but we’ll gloss over that point this being a family site and all that.

Wins of this nature are hard to report on. Primarily because I forget the goals, how they happened, who scored what and when. However the facts of the matter are that whilst there were 11 goals the best came from youngsters. Ian Forbes can take the award for most spectacular finish. My personal pick of the lot was George Mortlock’s effort that finished off a length of the pitch move that started with Harry Blundell winning the ball deep in his own half and a team that was intent on moving the ball quickly and accurately up the pitch.

The Academy were on top from the off. Some nice moves in the very opening minute hinted that the game was there to be won. We didn’t have to wait beyond three minutes to open the scoring and were 3-0 inside 10. In reality I think we knew early the game was ours and from that point on it was really all about making sure we did the right things. Stick to the plan, simple hockey – (cliché claxon alert) let the ball do the work.

6-0 at half time. A regroup, reaffirm what we want to do and off we went again.

Credit to Upminster at the start of the second half they showed real determination and also showed that they have a real strong crop of young players themselves. They wanted to get back in the game and pegged us back for the opening period – they just ran out of steam as we took control again.

We’ve all been on the wrong end of a thumping and its not nice. However its important as the team with the upper hand we play these games out properly. Time on the hockey pitch is precious and can’t be wasted with not playing at 100% or not affecting the game in the right way. Especially when we are trying to develop younger players.

Played it out we did even as the Coopers pitch transformed itself into a water based one. Credit to all. A quick mention to Toby Minor, always was the best tackler at the club, starting to add the ability to step up and out of defence with the ball. For the very first time.

For completeness the scorers: Stuart Piper (3), Ian Forbes (2), Gary MacDonnell, Stephen Brown, Fraser Forbes, Chris Minor, George Mortlock.

Man of the Match – Difficult this week but I thought Harry Blundell was excellent at both ends of the pitch in truth anyone who watched the match would probably pick out different individuals.

I’ll leave it to Robin Beck to play us out:

“Every feeling I had was new
I don't think there are words to
describe the sensations, oh no no no
And when something's happens
that words can't define
for the very first time.”