Mens 7's miss opportunity to gain points with understrength side

With ‘Bay Watch’ Venables absent in Portugal receiving "body" surfing lessons (what's that all about???!!) ‘van Persie’ Darby on another holiday and a changed squad to the one circulated during the week by our absent injured skipper, our lunch time away start 

found us locked out at Headington School. 

All was not looking good as we were met with concerned looks on the 

faces of our oppo as no one from their team had any idea of the pitch 

key code. Thankfully after lots of failed frantic phone calls, up stepped our very own Rob ‘Safecracker’ McGriggor  who decided that the school groundsman was most probably aged around 50 and proceeded to plug in his year of birth. Hey presto!

A positive first half with good passing hockey and solid defending with Theo in goal growing in stature game by game meant that we were 1- 0 to the good at the break following a trade mark Shambles ‘hit and hope’ short corner routine. It should however have been a bigger lead with a number of good chances squandered!

Sadly the re start saw Oxford come at us strongly. They were more 

organised and we were always under pressure and second best. We never really got going again and found ourselves 3 – 1 down with time running out. A last gasp short corner success on the final whistle was too little too late.

Good play from the 7’s youth policy with Matt Bunn and Ben Knowlden running hard in the middle of the park means there are lots of positives to build on. We just need some consistency in our all round play and take more of our chances. Team confidence should then grow.

Next week we play bottom of the table Wallingford when 3 points is a 

must.