| WINCHMORE
HILL & ENFIELD: 2
HARPENDEN II: 2
04.11.06
After convincingly disposing of Royston
the previous week Harpenden’s second fold were once again
in good spirits. But this week they would face Winchmore Hill
and Enfield known in both legend and rhyme more for their fast
and physical approach, than for their technical hockey. And so
it was written that on the first Saturday in November that cunning
would take on brawn in a battle repeated since the dawn of time.
Great prophets
warned of Winchmore Hill’s attacking style, uttering incantations
of route one hockey, breaking in numbers and a fast wide game.
Foolhardy perhaps were the Harpenden men in their approach to
such an epic confrontation and slow to find their form. The eagerness
of some of the defensive line to create attacking opportunities
left gaps at the back and Winchmore declared their intent early
with long balls finding their lone front man all too easily. At
the start Harpenden struggled to maintain their defensive form.
The first blow to Harpenden came after possession was lost in
the midfield and the lone defender was outnumbered three to one.
But stout of mind and stout of figure was Mighty Graham Smith
forcing the play to one side of the goal so that when the shot
came it was easily saved. It was then that Winchmore began to
show their powers over the dark side of the force. The deflection
fell back to their front man, and he struck again. The Harpenden
keeper saved once more but the deflection found Smith bravely
guarding the far post against the strike. The deviation caught
him unawares and struck him on the back and hence the ball found
its path once more goal bound. Keeper Brind and Smith both strained
and swung out desperately for the ball but all was in vein and
Winchmore went one up.
Perverted
was this twist of fate, and not the greatest of evils the men
of Harpenden would witness. Harpenden set their minds on the recovery
and started to hold better possession. But the way of the dark
side is strong with Winchmore and they used their Jedi mind tricks
to influence the decisions of those weak in mind, allowing them
the freedom to time waste and illegally break down play almost
entirely unhindered. And further, once frustration had grown in
the Harpenden side, to reduce their numbers. It came as no surprise
that these mind tricks would once again be wielded to do evil.
A typical attack led to the top of Harpenden’s defensive
‘D’ where a short corner was gained. Under the shadow
of the dark side the umpire was unaware of the illegal use of
feet at the top of the ‘D’ nor the vicious and somewhat
light sabre-esc swing over the ball as the play moved around the
edge of the defensive zone. Further the splintering stick offence
that occurred as several Harpenden defenders cringed from the
original swing. So it was that the ball found its way to the Winchmore
number 10 who flicked the ball goal bound at tremendous pace.
The shot struck the cross bar and deflected away but in this moment
as the attacker on the back post reacted and scrambled for the
ball the number 10 again set in play the powers of the Jedi and
the goal was awarded.
Devastated
Harpenden grew in fury and when shortly after Keeper Brind failed
to make the desired contact with ball when one on one, the team
bent its will upon the goal bound ball, forcing it outside the
post with shear might of mind so that further concession was avoided.
Hence halftime fell and Harpenden were only down by two.
And
so came the time of the king. Lord Kneale born of the line of
William Wallace (the famous skirt lifter) beheld his men and spun
a spell in words of might and cunning. Such words shall never
again grace mortal ears and the hearts of Harpenden hearkened
and were filled with desire and so came the second age and new
era for the men of Harpenden.
It was clear from the beginning that Harpenden were reborn anew.
Thrusting forward and outflanking their opponents with the pace
of Paul Nash on the right & Harry Potter on the left. Winchmore
continued in their dark ways breaking down runs from behind and
disrupting hockey wherever possible. But their dire deeds began
to fade as did their power and the way of light and justice began
to shine. It was Moxham the Fair, born of the house of Little
Hair that first showed Harpenden’s strength with the good
side of the force. Powering through the midfield to enter the
opposing ‘D’ and striking the ball. The Winchmore
stopper used his dark arts to persuade the ball onto the post
but he did not reckon for the power of the house of Little Hair.
With a mocking chuckle and the power of will alone Moxham swung
the ball off the post and the keeper and into the goal.
Thus
it was declared that no more would the way of the light be halted
by the way of the dark. Now in desperation Winchmore summoned
their last evil. Twisting the fragile mind of judgement not only
to awarding unreasonable penalties but also to once again reduce
Harpenden numbers. So it was that Brind the Great, he who wears
fire in his hair, fell into darkness. But though his body was
claimed (all be it for just 5 minutes) his soul never did leave
the field of battle and Harpenden could not be reckoned with and
no more did the dark force of Winchmore invade the Harpenden ‘D’.
Rather as the light began to fade and restored to full might Harpenden
again mounted the attack and cured of their evil the umpire would
no longer be swayed and when the inevitable foul was made judgement
was forthright. So stepped forward Arnsby the Outspoken, of the
House of Dodgy Fire on Chin. The Winchmore Hill stopper shrivelled
in his presence and was powerless to halt the imminent goal.
That is the tale of how the mighty men of Harpenden
claimed a point when all was lost. For though fairer days would
have seen victory, a great evil was performed that day that many
would have fell beneath.
Once
again Lord Kneale came before his men “much valour have
we shown today and though this is truly a place of evil, much
has been accomplished! But rest ye not brave men for not seven
full days from now we face a great foe, them that wear the colour
of blood upon their chest. Stevenage they are named and we must
smight them so as to claim our right. So be gone now and muster
a great strength within yourselves and when we claim victory a
great feast I shall provide!
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