Sunday, May 2, 2010
Determined Challenge make history
Since their promotion to the Reserve Grade, Challenge University have seldom had a week where they have not been up against it. This weekend was no different with their opposition, New World being a perennial bogey team of sorts for other Varsity teams since time immemorial. It was well known that New World’s experience, skill, and aggressive playing style were a force to be reckoned with. But when it was mentioned that their strikers were good enough to make any keeper obsolete, Steve “Don’t Call Me Steven” Peter (Challenge’s Captain and goalie) was heard to say: “Bugger that”.
The Challenge boys were always going to be struggling with only 12 players available for the game, and indeed the first ten minutes brought territory and possession dominance from New World, with repeated attacks on the student’s goal. The situation was made dire with an injury to defender Chris Beswick, who broke his hand in a goal circle melee.
With the subs bench depleted entirely, things were looking bad for the Varsity boys. However, after some slick midfield buildup, Ben “Ginger Beards Are Back” Walsh managed to wrong-foot the New World goalie and smoked a spectacular diving reverse to put Challenge in the lead. That goal was a turning point in the match, with the Challenge midfield of Nick, Mehul, and Rich tearing up the New World defence, and the fullbacks and halves holding the black and yellow strikers at bay.
Challenge had a narrow 1-0 lead at half time, and knew that the 2nd half could be one of the toughest 35mins of hockey they had ever played, with no available subs and a very fired up New World side. However the beginning of the half brought yet more of the champagne hockey from earlier, with the forwards making repeated attacks into the opposition 25’, and the strong screening reducing New World to long, marginal passing.
The pressure mounted, and eventually another goal was added to the tally with Mitchell Woodhouse making the most of a miscued pass into the circle and some terrible judgement from the New World keeper. This goal fired up the senior team even further and resulted in some frayed tempers and a sin-binning. Kieren “Goal Celebrations Are For Fags” Sisam made the most of this with a magnificent deflection off a long ball beating the keeper altogether, in one of the most spectacular goals in the history of the competition.
The final score of 3-0 not only reflected the heart and determination of the Challenge players, but also made history, as no Challenge side (or its equivalent) have ever beaten New World.