OS Football Match Report
28 November 2015
Old Stoics 3 Old Wykehamists 0
The Old Stoics bounced back in the most perfect manner possible to a heavy defeat last time out with a disciplined and hard-working performance to be rewarded with a vital three points.
With the previous weekend's clash postponed due to concerns over high winds, Old Wykehamists finally made the trip to Chiswick to face an Old Stoic side featuring debuts for 2011 leaver Nicolas de Montule as well as Ali McCormick with Hamish Eggins taking over tossing duties in the absence of captain James Robson.
A lost toss saw Stowe having to play up hill and into the wind in the first half but a back four of Harry Wolrige-Gordon, Jamie Hirsch, Rowling and Eggins showed the benefits that familiarity provide and largely dealt with the threats posed by both Wykehamists and the wind. That's not to say Mark Thompson-Royds had nothing to do with as he produced a couple of excellent saves, including from a back post header from a forward unmarked a few metres out, and indeed he would go on to produce more great stops in the second half.
Offensively, Nyan Patel on the left wing was showing everyone what a great touch he possesses and was a constant outlet out wide as he hugged the touchline. Whilst in the middle, de Montule quickly demonstrated the qualities he can add to the side with an assured, almost Berbatov-esque, touch when under pressure. Unfortunately his newly purchased boots seemed to hinder his finishing abilities as otherwise he could have marked his debut with a hat-trick.
Thankfully Tolly Leech was more assured and after picking up a consolation effort against Old Alleynians, this time contributed two vital goals to send the team on its way to a crucial win. For his first goal, De Montule's held off two or three players inside the box before laying it off to Leech who fired home with his weaker left foot, proving he isn't as one-footed as he had previously been accused of being!
A slender one-nil advantage at half-time was worth more given the geographical benefits Old Wykehamists had enjoyed in the opening 45 minutes and repeat performance in the second half would surely see the Stoics go on to claim the spoils.
As the game wore on both wingers, Patel and debutant McCormick, were seeing more of the ball and their constant thrusts down the flanks were visibly tiring the away side. However, the all important second goal arrived not from a ball whipped in from the wings but from a moment of quick-thinking, so sharp in fact that your correspondent didn't even see it. However, I'm told that whilst Wykehamists were still arguing over the award of a free-kick after de Montule was clearly fouled just outside the area, Hirsch slipped the ball through to Leech who beat the keeper to claim his and the team's second goal of the match.
The game was effectively put to bed shortly afterwards when Jamie Hirst lashed home from distance to score an early contender for goal of the season. Playing in a more defensive midfield role than his usual position up front, Hirst picked up the ball two thirds of the way up the pitch and drove towards goal. With options either side surely the pass seemed the most likely outcome but Hirst instead hit the ball as hard as possible and caught the ball perfectly, despite it appearing to bobble just before he pulled the trigger, and his shot arrowed unerringly towards goal to defeating the leaping keeper (no mean feat given his height) and slamming into the back of the net just underneath the crossbar. In fact it was an almost carbon copy of the goal Hirst scored against the school a couple of seasons back so this proved that was no fluke!
With the game wrapped up, the remaining 20 or so minutes were all about maintaining performance levels and utilizing what fitness the team had left, particularly with one or two noticeably starting to flag (mentioning no names Nicolas). MTR in goal was desperate to keep only his second clean sheet of the season and was almost apoplectic with rage at points with his demands for the team to retain its shape. However, his shouts were silenced when he spilled a straightforward gather from a long range shot and he looked to have gifted the opposition a goal. Thankfully, it was Rowling rather than the Wykehamists forwards that reacted quicker and he was able to clear the ball out for a throw-in. But from the resulting passage of play, MTR reminded everyone of his shot-stopping abilities. The throw-in was played short and the winger was able to run into the box and cut the ball back to his striker who looked to have the formality of scoring from a few meters out but somehow MTR was able to get a firm paw to the ball with his point of impact actually behind his body. An extraordinary save and rewarded with that all important clean sheet as Stowe played out the final minutes comfortably enough against an opposition that had little left to offer, and in truth were not a patch on the Old Alleynian side Stowe had encountered in the previous match.
A great team performance with seven or eight players having strong claims for man of the match. Eggins put in his best defensive display at right back and was seemingly first to every ball and won all his fifty:fifty challenges, de Montule and Patel both showed that the Old Stoics can look forward to an enviable supply of new players if they are a reflection of recent leavers, whilst Hirst showed he is more than capable of playing in midfield, tirelessly working hard to close down the opposition as well as scoring a goal to live long in the memory. However for his two goals, constant willingness to run onto any balls played forward as well as holding up play well when required, my man of the match is Tolly Leech.