Old Stoics 3 Old Millhillians 1

16 January 2016

Old Stoics 3 Old Millhillians 1

For the second time this season, Stowe bounced back from a heavy defeat at the hands of Old Alleynians to win the following weekend, this time a notable victory against table-topping Mill Hill.

A last-minute scramble for players was compounded by the referee pulling out at 10:30pm on the Friday made for a frantic build-up to the match. However these efforts were fully rewarded by a disciplined display that saw the men in yellow and blue record their 3rd win of the season.

Captain James Robson returned from pheasant pillaging whilst Max Housson made his seasonal debut alongside Rowling in central defence. The left-flank had a unfamiliar look to it with both positions filled by mates of Jamie Hirsch, with the aforementioned again showing his versatility by playing alongside Hugo Empson up top. Indeed, it was to everyone's amazement that Empson not only showed up but was the first one there, over an hour before kick-off. It is perhaps too early to read too much into this from a man who has turned over more leaves than an old oak in autumn but nonetheless his physical presence up top was a welcome sign.

Electing to play up the hill and looking into the sun in the first half, it was key for Stowe to stay within touching distance of their loftier opponents in the knowledge that conditions would swing back in their favour after the interval. The back-line remained resolutely in their own half for the majority of the first 45 minutes and looked much more solid than in previous matches as a result. 

This platform allowed the midfield and attack to try and pose their own problems of the Mill Hill defence and indeed it was Stowe that opened the scoring. An attack down the left resulted in the ball finding its way through to ringer Will in the six yard box and he completed the simple task of tapping goalward to mark his late-call up by getting his name on the scoresheet. This well-deserved lead was maintained until the half-time whistle thanks to a clearing header by Housson of a goal-bound effort from Mill Hill's striker after a three-way clash of players had left Rowling and keeper Mark Thompson-Royds hapless and on the ground. And of course there were a couple of smart saves from MTR that we have almost come to expect but those aside it was a relatively composed showing from the home side.

Throughout the match Mill Hill have proven to be surprisingly suspect at defending throw-ins and shortly after the break, there were made to pay for these lapses. A simple throw found Alex Jollivet unmarked inside the area albeit close to the touchline, but he cleverly turned and slid the ball between the keeper and inside the right-hand post to double Stowe's lead. 

Hirsch was then given the perfect opportunity to put the game to bed when found in the box metres out from the goal, in an almost identical situation to the one Will converted in the first half. However, rather than apply the simplest of finishes he somehow contrived to scuff the ball under his feet and before he knew it, the chance was gone.

When Mill Hill got a goal back, one or two jitters began to creep into the home side's game. MTR was wrong-footed from a free-kick from just outside the penalty area but atoned with a smart save from almost point-blank range to parry away the follow-up chance behind. However, the ensuing corner was quickly taken and the Mill Hill player was able to evade his marker to loop the ball into the net and over the man stationed on the post.

To much relief, Hirsch made up for his earlier miss by capatilising on a fast counter-attack after the away side over-committed players forward in search of an equalizer. He dribbled the ball from just inside the opposition half, making a bee-line for the goal and this time was able to calmly roll the ball past the onrushing keeper and give the Old Stoics a winning margin. 

The remaining minutes were played out in comfortable enough fashion by Stowe with Mill Hill resorting to increasingly speculative efforts, getting more and more frustrated with each other in the process. Unfortunately the game ended on a sour note, when their left-back took out his anger at being beaten by Jollivet for the umpteenth time by hauling him back by his neck, WWF-style. Jollivet reacted angrily enough to result in both men being shown a red card and the prospect of a mass brawl being sparked as both Housson and MTR ran further than they had all game to try and get involved. Calm heads eventually overcame hotter ones and the reality of a famous win was made complete with the referee blowing the final whistle. 

The result leaves the Old Stoics in lower mid-table but just 6 points off the top in a league that is coming increasingly congested. http://full-time.thefa.com/ProcessPublicSelect.do?psSelectedSeason=608145920&psSelectedDivision=148665326&Submit.x=8&Submit.y=11&Submit=Submit&psSelectedCompetition=0&psSelectedLeague=847518011