Academy 2 Havering (4) 3

It’s never a great look sending out your team on a Monday evening post selection with only 8 names on the teamsheet. That’s where the Academy team found themselves this week. 75th birthday parties, hamstrings, trampolining other sports all shifted players away from 1pm Campion School and into other activities. The teamsheet showed a distinct lack of youth. Three in total, stalwarts Fraser Forbes, Harvey Ashton and Toby Minor.

Like Prince Andrew the captain wasn’t sweating. The midweek horse-trading with other captains and umpire liaison officers brought together a 12 man squad. Havering, not in great form, I remained confident. Experienced players brought in. Like the Liberal Democrat general election campaign all looked good from the outset but things quickly fell apart when the leader opened their mouth. I wrote about this last season when the Academy lost its very young players after Romfordgate. It wasn’t the loss of points and whilst the club did well to bring in reinforcements it isn’t that easy to get them to get new players gelling with existing players. It takes a few weeks to get things working and people to feel comfortable with those around them. It’s difficult when teams have to do introductions before the start of play. The rarely seen 4-4-2 formation was selected as the captain thought that might suit the personnel and off we went.

Dear reader just like Prince Andrew’s PR efforts - it wasn’t great on many levels. I cannot point any fingers to anyone over lack of effort or application but as a team we just never got going. Individuals played and did their best but you need to know where your mate is on the pitch, what they are looking to do, how you can best support. Like a Donald Trump policy we had to just make it up as we went along. Havering had a major advantage. Its moments like this that I turn to ormer US Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld in moments like this. I mean who doesn’t? I think he summed it up best:

“there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don't know we don't know. “

If you don’t know what your team-mate is going to then how can you best support them? It’s a known unkown. The unkown, unknowns there even worse. Look I’ve had a load of ibuprofen today it makes sense to me (see below).

Havering took a deserved lead mid way through the first half. No panic at this point and Stephen Brown scored his best goal of the season plucking a ball down out of the air after a lofted pass and finishing well from a tight angle. The first half ended with the Academy captain on the ground. Sacroiliac joint, which was an injury, that first appeared a week earlier now properly busted. Expected out for two weeks still my wife is happy - with the exception of buying handbags there is nothing more she likes doing then saying - 'I told you you shouldn't have played.' The throbbing pain also put paid to any captains rallying call as others stepped up. Again concentrating on the pain rather meant that the second half became all a bit of a blur. In short they scored, we scored (Stuart Piper), they scored and to be frank we never really looked like equalising.

A disappointing day, well week really, was brightened by young Fraser Forbes. Pushed into an attacking midfield position he really stepped up. I suspect that this won’t be the last time he carries a Brentwood team but he nearly dragged us back into the game. Constantly available and creating. He was the bright spark that so nearly ignited us. Like a strong man carrying the atlas stones Fraser got us over to the barrel but just couldn’t get us up and on said barrel. His work created space for others and created half chances. Harvey Ashton was another responding well to the increased responsibility without getting the final ball quite right.

Fair play to the guys who came into the team at the last minute. They gave their all. I’m sure they’ll come in again later in the season and I’m sure we’ll all perform better for having 70 minutes together under our belts. But like every middle-age crisis – I want my youth back. A Lewis twin, a Nelder a Mortlock thrown into the mix probably would have made all the difference.

I can’t imagine this game was great viewing to the neutral or the fan. I’m always disappointed when I don’t get to showcase this Academy team. I want to shout from the rooftops about the brilliance of the youth, the exceptional adults who are working to pass on the good things of hockey to said youth and point to how this setup is right for youth hockey and a credit to Brentwood. Roofs were safe this week. I shuffled off very quietly. Shouting from the rooftops will have to wait.

Kudos to Havering for a rather excellent pie and mash post match. I’ve paid serious money for a lot less.

Team: Richard Trett, Andre Fonseca, Chris Ross, Andrew Pearson, Toby Minor, Harvey Ashton, Gary MacDonnell, Chris Minor, Fraser Forbes, Stuart Piper, Stephen Brown, Alistair Scott.