Nomads Twos blast four past top-of-the-table contenders

Oh sweet remembrance! Oh what a victory! The sublime passes - the resolute defence - the elegance of the Nomadic play! The joy to behold and relish!

First some scene setting. Yes, it was a mild day - not mild enough for the injured Mikey Longson to spectate in shorts however! But the knuckle-dragging Twos had a pair of draws (steady there, dear readers!!) and a pair of losses going into this match, whereas the St Ives had won all four fixtures to date. But those draws that should have been wins and those narrow losses that could have broken the other way were to be reshaped on a patch of green in a western region of St Ives on that Saturday afternoon….and it was the Nomads who rewrote of history books.

St Ives came out of the blocks keen and hungry: full court presses in Div 4NW – this was to be serious stuff. Nomads defence was called upon for solid trusty work – and did not fail to rebuff.

Nomads gained their composure. What-ho! A short corner? Our first of the game. And what had we been practicing on Tuesday evening, on John’s insistence? Arthur injects, Angus stops and Paul’s strike to Arthur running in with an elegant deflection into the net (NOT what we had practiced at all!) Updated version supplied by the cheap seats at the back: Arthur injects, Angus stops and Paul’s strike heads into the corner of the goal only to be shamelessly poached by Arthur running in with an unnecessary, yet skillful, deflection into the net. Editor: No prizes for guessing from whom this contribution came from!

But , Nomads must buckle down and reset as if it was nil-nil. What-ho, again – our second SC? Zinny injects, Angus stops, Paul strikes into the corner of the goal to smash against the backboards. The opposition are reeling with surprise – and they thought this match would be a push over! True, there was some stern defence: John’s chest protector was exercised and he was seen to be palming balls out of the blue sky. Gianluca played an impressively cool, unruffled game at left back. Occasional Rich Morgan playing in back-to-back Nomadic fixtures dominated the right defensive zone against some youthful St Ives stick work. With Dave and Tim as central defenders, here was the reason, dear readers, that goals against Nomads was the lower than the six teams above them in the league.

But leave the statistics alone, I hear you call breathlessly – return to the action to continue on with this story of daring do.

So, we’re two-nil up at half time and Nomads anticipate youthful legs of our opposition to make their telling mark in the final 35 minutes.

Matthew's trademark forceful run into the D results in another short corner. Sadly my notes at the bar after the match are so delirious with excitement that I can’t understand them. Editor: Memory returns! Arthur injects, Angus stops, Paul unleashes one away only to clatter between a defender feet and ends up in the net.

The fourth goal was a masterclass of hockey. [Ed: Update version] Tim gave the ball to Rick in the middle of the pitch. Rick then tricked his way past a forest of St Ives sticks before slipping an inch-perfect pass into the path of the marauding Sugi on the right hand side. He, in turn, drove down the line, turned inside and found Paul on the top of the D, who returned the pass back to Sugi on the right post to ease the ball elegantly against the backboards. The spectators (the Longson family) went into rapturous admiration.

The only fly in the ointment was to not to maintain a clean sheet. St Ives put together a nice short corner routine and converted, as their consolation goal.

The final whistle blows 4-1 - there's a pitch invasion, the players are carried aloft the shoulders of adoring crowds to thunderous chants. Editor: I'm sure that my collection - but perhaps the Longson family didn't get quite so carried away! But oh, the sweet, sweet taste of victory! Oh glorious game - this memorable day shall live long! And we rise up to a mighty 8th place in the league.

PS For St Ives' perspective, see their match report.