With availability across the club proving sketchy, it was with some relief that the captain was able to eventually field eleven hockey players this week. We’d beaten Nomads 2-1 earlier in the season but they sat one point above us in the table. But we’ve been on a good run recently. But we had the 3^rd XI’s front-line rather than the regulars. It was a difficult match to call.

With only a bare eleven, warming up on a BMX track, complete with jumps, drops and muddy bogs was brave. We survived, however, and took our places ready for the curtain.

It was clear from the opening exchanges that Nomads have happened upon a collection of fresh-faced youths that were keen to swarm around up front. The cheats! Thankfully, we were able to spend a good few minutes high up in enemy territory, as our new forwards did a great job of keeping the oppo penned in.

At some point, we took the lead, with Barton notching his first. At the other end, Anns took his turn to play creator, picking out the opposition’s centre forward perfectly. He was at least able to get back to clear the danger.

A short corner right at the end of the first period gave us one last chance to stretch our lead, and stretch it we did, with Monck Jnr stabbing in on the right post.

2-0 might have flattered us a little, and half time was mainly spent debating how we could move the ball more but run less. I’m not sure we actually heeded that, often coughing up possession rather easily or flogging a dead horse down one side of the pitch or the other when perhaps we could have aimed at the wide open spaces elsewhere.

Be that as it may, goals kept coming, first for Petersen, then another for Monck. Cooper had by now promoted himself into midfield, ostensibly with the aim of spreading the ball around a bit and stretching the opposition. It was a good old-fashioned, straight-line thump which did the damage though; Barton providing the required and skilful deflection.