HARPENDEN III: 5
WELWYN GARDEN CITY II: 0
19.01.2008

This correspondent received 26 CDs for Christmas. The music involved covered a wide range of genres, from Pamela Kurstin’s frighteningly a-structural take on theremin composition, through to the blank white noise of the original version of “Metal Machine Music” by Lou Reed.

One interesting yuletide gift was the eponymously titled “Pete Evans Quartet”. The 3rd XI captain’s namesake bases his pieces on established avant-garde jazz structures but embellishes them with unexpected flourishes from outsider sources such as electro-acoustic sound-scapes and minimalist drone work.

Much the same could be said of Harpenden hockey club’s 3rd XI in their 5-0 home victory over Welwyn 2s last Saturday. The “real” Pete Evans making sure his side did the basics right, with added twists of class being provided by Andy Salmon, Ryan “Ginola” Ely and Simon Evans, the latter two making their first appearances for the 3s this season.

The game was played in persistent drizzle and although player for player the visitors may have had the upper hand, the home side approached the game forcefully throughout. This attitude was epitomised by though not confined to the performances of Adam Cole, who managed to align his natural aggression to his improving skills down the right hand side, Jon Pagan who was outstanding in midfield, Stuart Berry who got some Bodom like bite back into his challenges and Geoff Gould who consistently dealt with Welwyn’s significant attacking threat.

The early exchanges were fairly even, but Harpenden broke the dead lock from (praise be) a short corner. These have not been fruitful for the team thus far this season. The pre-match practice routines, much mocked by those colleagues not involved, (that is defenders - I’ve often thought what do they know anyway, and this also raises the question of why weren’t they practising taking ages to decide to clear the ball out of the D before placing it unerringly onto a team mate’s foot?) concentrated on keeping possession and moving the ball around until an opening occurred.

The father and son duo of Pete and Simon Evans were integral in taking this concept from the training ground to the back-board. The skipper acted as receiver often using his son Simon as an outlet at right switch. The younger Evan’s intelligent use of the ball from these opportunities was impressive throughout, and from the third such move his through pass found Tom Preest in enough space to turn the ball into the net.

Harpenden then completed the scoring in the first half by converting another short corner. Andy Salmon had been taking up great positions in front of the keeper following excellent oblique runs from the wide right position, the ball fell to him after further good work from Simon Evans, Salmon turned with skill and tenacity and finished well.

Harpenden started the second half with something of a lull, and it looked for a time as if they might surrender their excellent position. Matt Beggs made some good saves in goal, while Neil Liles, Martin Pugh and James Bird were complementing Gould’s performance in the back line. However with the captain directing things from midfield the home side were able to re-gain the ascendancy. The third goal came from another short corner. A slick and possibly unexpected left switch resulted in Preest and Pete Evans sending in goal bound efforts in quick succession, Welwyn failed to clear and Salmon quite literally leapt at the chance to take his second goal of the morning.

The rest of the game belonged to Ryan Ely, the man affectionately known as Ginola. Ely came on up front and began, with it must be said some assistance especially from Pagan, to boss the show. The 3s played some of their most impressive hockey of the season during this final period, with a number of flowing moves that can only have impressed watching 1st XI skipper Mike Emes. One such passing exchange found Ely in space on the left edge of the D. Eschewing as ever the opportunity to execute a simple finish, the young striker took it upon himself to send off an aerial strike that crashed in off the upper half of the post.

The best however was left till last. Pagan made one of many surging runs from the half way line and in an almost Maradonda-esque manner created room for a shot at the top of the D, following a clever dummy the midfield player unleashed the ball towards the bottom corner, looking for a his first goal of the season. Ely had other ideas, and seeing that the effort was actually going wide snuck in at the far post to apply a deft goal bound touch to make it 5-0.

Ely’s late goal burst was a fitting way to finish a fine performance from the home side, and one that can only provide the skipper with selection head aches as the more established members of his squad return over the coming weeks.

Report by Tom Preest.

Team: Matt Beggs, James Bird, Neil Liles, Geoff Gould, Martin Pugh, Adam Cole, Pete Evans, Joe Pagon, Tom Preest, Simon Evans, Stuart Berry, Andy Salmon, Ryan Ely

Scorers
1) Tom Preest
2) Andy Salmon
3) Andy Salmon
4) Ryan Ely
5) Ryan Ely