Hockey Results v Langley Park
Saturday 22nd January
1st XI WON 3-0 (Hamilton, Harden 2)
The 1st XI continued their faultless season with a convincing win over Langley Park. Yet another side tried to implement a half court press and attack on the counter rather than risk a rout by pushing high up the pitch. The tactic worked for the majority of the first half as Eltham enjoyed a large amount of the ball but created little in the final third. Many of the meaningful attacks came down the right flank where Charlie Speller (aka the ‘Eltham Dani Alves’) combined well with Jack Robertson, but until the half hour the score remained tied. The deadlock was broken by arguably the best move of the game when Jack Robertson took a quick free hit to Eddy Forshaw who in turn found Ben Stafford with a superb ball. Ben Stafford then picked out Hamish Hamilton who drew the keeper out of position before flicking into the bottom right of the goal.
At the turn a renewed vigour and more care for the final ball were called for and the midfield certainly listened. Both Joe Richardson and Eddy Forshaw were simply unplayable, and with Tom Pearce and Alex Tate in similarly commanding mood, more goals were quick to follow. Chris Harden (picture, above) made it two with a reverse shot which found its way into the top left corner via the keeper’s foot. He then quickly made it three by flicking between the goalkeeper's legs after being found by another defence-splitting Forshaw pass.
In truth the score could and should have been more but for a little wastefulness in front of goal; however, the performance was composed, assured and professional. The team has now won 10 out of 10 and faces Dulwich College at home on Wednesday at 2:30pm.
2nd XI LOST 0-3
The Second XI's dreams of an unbeaten season were washed away on Saturday as a very strong Langley Park team gave them a lesson in passing and creativity. That is not to say for one minute that the Eltham boys were sub-standard, far from it, but the Langley (U16A) side looked like they meant business. Having come off the back of an 8-0 win away at Alleyn's the Eltham boys were soon brought crashing down to earth by the home team as a goals in the 5th and 16th minute meant that Eltham were really up against it. The Eltham boys could quite easily have fulded at this stage but to their immense credit they stepped up and matched Langley stride for stride over the next 40 minutes. Huge credit must go to the back four with Joe Smith-Morgan once again putting pressure on the 1st XI boys with another fantastic display at sweeper and Kieran Dicken showing just how good a player he is with his ability to tackle and distribute from left back. The midfield, having been lazy for the first 5 minutes, were stunned into life and from then on ran their socks off, but to no avail. Eltham came close at 0-2 with a well worked move on the right hand side involving Arnott, Surry and finally Giles with the latter just not getting a touch at the far post to make things interesting. A late third for Langley Park made the score a little unjust for Eltham as they had worked tirelessly against the best team they will face this year. The goal for the next seven days is two victories as the side take on Dulwich (A) on Wednesday and get their first home game of the season against Forest School on Saturday.
Team: Sales, Dicken, Calderwood, Smith-Morgan, Williams, Waterton, Cole, Wilson (C), Britt, Arnott, Giles, Surry, Patel.R, Rayburn.
U15A WON 2-0
U14A LOST 5-1
U13A LOST 4-0
U12A LOST 2-1
