Nomads vs Wapping

Cambridge Nomads 1st XI 3 – 3 Wapping 3rd XI

Saturday 11 November 2017

Played at The Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre (pitch 2)

Scorers: Martin Hamon 2 & Alex Mutucumarana

Man of the Match: Calum Thornton

Nomads Run Olympic Rings Around Wapping.

Cambridge Nomads 1st XI travelled to the Olympic Park at the weekend to play Wapping 3rd team. Both teams were on the same number of points at the start of the game and it would be an important game not to lose.

The opening exchanges were scrappy but Nomads took the lead from a Martin Hamon penalty flick after Calum Thornton was denied his first goal for the club by a Wapping defender stopping the ball with his foot. Wapping came straight back and scored from a short corner into the right hand side of the goal.

Wapping probably had the best of the play at this point in the match and with Alex Mutucumarana hobbling off to the side of the pitch, it looked like Nomads would have to play with just eleven players for the rest of the game. This seemed a big ask particularly as Wapping took the lead with a well worked move that saw the ball struck down the middle and deflected by their centre forward into the goal.

Wapping looked happy settling for a half time lead and Nomads were desperate to get to half time all square. And they did thanks to Martin Hamon’s expertly taken drag flick at a short corner late in the first half. Martin saw the keeper dive to his left and was able to change the direction of the flick and put it over the keeper straight down the barrel of the goal.

Alex Mutucumarana was able to return in the second half which enabled the midfield to operate at 100% and take a rest when needed. It meant that Nomads took control of the second half and looked the more likely to score. They did after Martin Hamon dragged the ball towards what would have been his hattrick. The keeper managed to save the the ball but Alex Mutucumarana pounced on the rebound to make the score 3-2.

While Wapping pressed forward, it was Nomads who looked the more likely to hit them on the counter attack and extend their lead. But a successful Wapping press allowed them to turn the ball over on top of the Nomads D and with two passes the ball was in the back of the net and the game was level at 3-3.

Joe Phillips was then yellow carded, somewhat harshly, with 10 minutes to go and the momentum shifted again. Nomads were able to reshuffle and nearly pinched all the points late in the game, but had to settled for a draw which was probably a fair result on the balance of things.

The midfield made good decisions during this game and held onto the ball for large parts of the game. Nick Wells stepped up in the absence of Sam Walker-Farrant and Calum Thornton played in several positions and did so very well. Calum was deservedly named man of the match.

The next four weeks see Nomads play at home three times and this allows them to get some momentum going into the Christmas break. The first of these home games is against Bishop’s Stortford at 12.30 where hopefully many of those that could not play this week will return to the squad.