An EXCRUCIATING draw for Nomads Twos at Coldhams

Penned by reporter, R. Mort

Martin Keown.

The ex-Arsenal player, is an expert pundit and commentator on the BBC, providing exceptional insight and comment on the game of football.
At least he is so according to the BBC, as they continue to pay him a (presumably) sizeable amount for his services.

There is a part of me that is quite offended that some of my licence fee goes to paying his salary. It’s not just an Arsenal thing, I actually quite like Lee Dixon.

Keown was involved in one of the most disgraceful scenes I have ever seen on a football field with his goading of Van Nistelroy in that infamous ManU match (kids – watch it on YouTube), and I have always wondered quite how Ruud refrained from planting one on Keown’s smug visage. He deserved it. Though, of course, we must not condone such violence.

But what, I hear you say, has any of this got to do with Nomads M2s v Spalding M3s hockey match on Saturday?

Well – with his amply-remunerated intellect and football wisdom, I am sure Martin Keown will have, at some time or another, come up with such carefully considered analysis as: “1-0 is never a safe score”; “It only takes a second to score a goal”; and “it’s never over till the fat lady sings”. I am sure. After all, he is a wise and eloquent man.

As was proven this last Saturday when such sage wisdom was exemplified on the fields of Coldhams in this closely fought hockey contest. So, maybe after all, he does know something.

Stripped of their Skipper, but buoyant after last week’s victory over the (then) top team, Nomads once again faced up against a (newly) table-topping outfit, in Spalding M3s, surprisingly out-pointing their own M2s.

With belief coursing through their veins, the Nomads weathered an early Spalding onslaught without undue alarm, and were a goal up a quarter into the game when the ball arrived at the stick of Ellis on the far post with the goal gaping. Ellis is a generous soul though, and instead of selfishly putting the ball in the goal, he opted to bounce it off the post and along the line to offer prolific-Paul perhaps the easiest finish he will have in all of his hockey playing days.

Spalding were not without threat though, and John in goal was called on more than once to provide excellent saves. In between, when Nomads strung together a few passes, they also threatened more goals. But at half-time it remained 1-0, with Nomads feeling in some control.

The second half followed a somewhat different pattern. Spalding having greater possession, but with the Nomads defence standing firm and John in fine fettle when called upon, the visitors seemed no closer to their equaliser. Nomads continued to threaten on the breakaway, and a few well-worked chances were spurned. Not least of which was a cross-shot to the far post that Sugi deflected goal-wards from a yard out (somehow retrieved by the Spalding G-K), and a free-shot in the D minutes later from Gianluca that went nowhere. Short corners came and went, but Spalding had more of them. Mostly they seemed to be intercepted by our sprightly no.1 runner, Julian, who was a thorn in Spalding’s side all match from right back.

There was even a disputed penalty-flick for John to defend. No problem. He clearly had psyched out their entire attacking outfit with his usual understated excellence.

Our stand-in skipper, Tim-Five-Minutes-Fieth, had already made his brief cameo by this point, (then calling back Barry into the fray), but our back 4 of Thom, Spence, Barry/Tim, Julian, plus GK John, continued un-deterred in their solid excellence.

However as the game reached its final quarter Nomads’ retained possession of the ball less and less, inviting Spalding to spend more time in attack. Would this come to haunt them?

Well, yes.

As the minutes ran down, it seemed that Nomads had done enough. But with seconds remaining, Spalding won one last short corner. The final whistle went, so it all came down to this moment. And what do you know..?

It is still too painful to re-live in detail, but the upshot was that the ball rolled apologetically into the goal and Spalding had majicked themselves a point with the last hit of the game.

It was cruel justice on the superb John in goal, and the battling-to-a-man-Nomads.

But, as a wise man said, 1-0 is never a safe score, it only takes a second to score a goal, and it’s never over till the fat lady sings.

Not sure if there was a vote at the pub, but my own MoM candidates would be the aforementioned John, as well as Ellis, who had his best game of the season flitting between the midfield and forwards, and Julian in a marauding right back role. No obvious candidates for DoD – will have to await a concerted team vote on that one. But the fact we came away disappointed with drawing to the top team, especially in comparison to where we were at this stage last season, shows the improvement in this team, and demonstrates why, with half a season to go, we can genuinely compete for a top 2 finish. Keep believing!