SCHOOL v STAFF HOCKEY MATCH - 1966

[originally published in Phoenix 1966]

Having been told beforehand that Mr. Johnson had stepped down from the Staff team to give the school players a fair chance, numerous spectators streamed down to the “boys’” field to see what promised to be a glamorous spectacle for the beholder.

The cold weather was soon dismissed from the minds of the onlookers when certain pupils provided stirring pre-match music. Mr. Curtis was the first member of Staff on the field, sporting a vivid green and white sweater; Mr. Barker followed.

Once on the field the Staff team began to demonstrate their skills. Cheers of approbation followed when Mr. Jacob’s first shot went sailing past the goal. A varied assortment of background noises greeted the entrance of Fudge, who surely must have been awarded a medal for bravery beyond the call of duty!

The game duly started at 2.20, and was only one minute old when an all-too-enthusiastic member of Staff was caught offside. To say the opening stages of the game passed without incident would be a treasonable offence. To greet a remarkably effective piece of obstruction by Mr. Holbrook, a bag, doubtless full of chemistry homework, was thrown onto the field, and a few seconds later, a school cap suffered the same fate.

After only 11 minutes of the first half, the school opened its account with a brilliantly taken goal by Glynis Hullah, following a series of very good dribbles. Only four minutes elapsed, before Sandra Goodchild nonchalantly stroked in goal number two, following a dubious tackle by Mr. Curtis. But the Staff did not let this two goal deficit deter their highly imaginative play, and within 60 seconds, Mr. Jacob, with real flair and individual brilliance, took a cross firmly in his stride and hammered the ball ruthlessly into the net, only to discover that he had shot from outside the striking-area and his goal was consequently disallowed.

Thrill followed thrill, and a few seconds later, Mr. Barker brilliantly saved a dangerous school attack, at the expense of a corner. Nothing resulted from this corner, and half-time was called after only 20 minutes’ play. Once again, the little musical group came to the rescue of the frozen spectators, by providing some heart-warming music.

Three minutes after the break, flurries of good fortune were seen to be flying aloft, when Mr. lies received an inch-accurate pass as a result of an excellent dribble by Mr. Jacob-a sight which surely must have brought sweat from the school goalkeeper. Unfortunately his shot flew past the wrong side of the post- an effort which was universally described as one which would have caused the destruction of any lesser person’s pleural cavity!

Another near miss to the credit (or discredit) of the Staff, was Mr. Holbrook’s accurate punch towards goal.

Throughout the match, both sides had players whose general performances raised the whole standard of the game: for the school, Rutter, and Glynis Hullah, and for the Staff, Mr. Barker and Mr. Thomson. The latter, in particular, proved to be an explosive, creative influence in midfield, and near goal he often provided defence-splitting passes, or trod on the ball to prevent any of the school players taking possession of it.

Those who saw the last Staff v. School Hockey match, will doubtless remember the incident in which one player, suitably wearing L-plates, volleyed the ball straight into the back of one of her colleagues. This time, however, the left back, Janet Spink, volleyed the ball straight into Mrs. Winterborne, who from that time onwards took a slightly less active part in the game.

As the game progressed, Rutter and Hewitt were seen to be the springboards of many good attacks; more often than not, these were stopped by Mr. Holbrook, who was operating in the middle of the field with unobtrusive skill. Some of Mr. Holbrook’s interceptions could be described as no less than astonishing exercises in physical effort.

A loose ball suddenly floated over to the left wing, and Mr. Jacob, gliding with Corinthian flow along the flanks, had the school defence in a decorative tangle of tactical patterns. His inventive virtuosity up front, however, was wasted when the ball was easily cleared. Mr. Barker had, in the meantime, come into the attack like a true Crusader; he seized the ball, and thumped it towards the goal in determined fashion. The school goalkeeper turned the bail into his own net, and the goal was allowed by Miss Cracknell, who had been umpiring magnificently in the second half.

The game ended just one minute later, with the final score: School 2 Staff 1.

A.B.