KEW Hockey Club

Kew Pennant C vs Hawthorn (10-1)

According to those in the know, there were only ever five true Supermodels: Linda (Enangalista), Claudia (Schiffer), Elle (McPhersopn), Cindy (Crawford) and Naomi (Campbell). Everyone else was just a pretender.

Atop the Pennant C ladder, five teams are locked in a race for four spots. All capable of beating each other on their day. Something has to give.

Hawthorn were good enough to allow the game to start ten minutes early and we thank them for that. But from where this author is sitting, a 10:50am start on a Sunday morning is not necessarily for the greater good.

Club President and injured team member Hugh Taggart got the shock of his life when he strolled in for a look-see with coffee and paper in tow and found himself blowing the whistle. Debating rules mid-match with best mate Reidy not quite the lazy Sunday morning he had in mind. For the record, one of you guys has the total wrong idea on the laws of obstruction and my “folding” says its not HT.

The selection hi-jinx continued, with Damon Hartung and Ben Johnston welcomed back into the side. But we saw Ash Reid and Brent Scales released up a grade. And Stevie Gale is fooling no one by claiming “state training” as an excuse to have to play seconds. If this is your only way of getting promoted Stevie, then good luck to you…

So a team that had hit a few banana skins over the past month, needed to re discovered its mojo in a big way.

However, our guys were possibly thinking the game didn’t start until its original 11am scheduled time. It seemed eleven players were in a deep sleep and allowed the softest of goals to our visitors to open proceedings.

This simply stung us into action. Nick Reid showed he is one of the best “offensive” tacklers in the game, harassing the opposition into error and creating opportunities for those around him. In the first half, this was capitalised on by all the forwards who were hunting in waves. Several well worked team goals leaving us well in control at 4-1 at half time.

After half time, Hubba continued his feast, notching up his third; Winny completed a second half hat-trick; Leigh Monroe got amongst it; Reidy hit the score sheet for the second time this season; and Hamish Nelson showed the athleticism that might take him to the Olympics as a Heptathlete.

It was pleasing to see some of the things we have been working on at training pay off. We secured “team goals” by having people in position at the post for tap-in deflections. The side remained selfless to the end, despite to offerings at hand and the deeply personal need to get on the scoresheet.

Barney Allen filled in with his usual panache as a dashing 12th man. At one stage, he rounded the ‘keeper before just missing the goals by about “8 inches” from a tight angle.

Nath Stevens showed his flexibility and leadership by playing a wonderful game at centre half. He deserves full credit for the way he has held his team together over the past few weeks.

Finally, the author loves to acknowledge our young players. Jon Hyatt played a terrific game at the unfamiliar left half. Well done Jon, you have listened to your coaches over the last couple of months and are playing some great stuff.

But back to the Supermodels… there was only one. Claudia Schiffer’s gravity defying cheek bones left her a clear number one in many eyes. When Kew Pennant C are up and going, we’d like to think of ourselves as the most aesthetically pleasing outfit in Pennant C. The flowing hockey of the weekend and a monstrous goal differences of +40 mean we think that title, at least, is ours.