____Southampton 2nd’s 8 – Bath 2nd’s 4____

Ok I am now officially out of bath related puns. Last Wednesday saw Bath travel to Southampton for the second fixture of the year. Last time out we had a very strong game with good team tactics accumulating in a comfortable result. It turns out, however, that Horlock is doing something right as although when you google ‘the 2nd team’ we’re not yet the first hit, Bath had read my last report including our tactics. Needless to say form now on no biggest boys super secret tactics will be leaked here and so the sacred stag, lizard and very occasional komodo dragon are safe!

In the 30 mins training before the match, Anton managed to re-snap his tendon and Mitch caught Ebola, therefore when only half the team were present at 9 o’clock I was wandering what else could go wrong. It turns out Perry had forgot his card again and so the guys were trying to smuggle him. Drew was also late spending too long deciding which shirt went best with his tie.

Anyway Mitch recovered (I take no credit) and we started the first quarter strongly. Bath have a strong pit man and although we managed to keep him quite for most of the game, he bagged an early goal.  Perry, Conal and Drew all found the back of the net giving us a healthy lead at the end of the first quarter. Unfortunately an outbreak of ‘Waltonitis’ hit the squad as we squandered several 1v1s in this quarter and throughout the match.  I also missed a sitter, firing high over the bar from about 4 m out..

With the score line not giving us credit for our performance we continued to dominate the match, Perry and Conal scored again for 1 in reply. Half time 5-2 to Southampton. In the third quarter we continued a strong game, with Perry bagging his hat-trick (will he shut up about it?) Malcom had what can only be described as ‘a mixed quarter’ scoring one goal and getting some rage too. After being sunk, unknowingly under the gaze of Amy, Malcom thought it’d be a good idea to ‘windmill’ as fast as he could into the opposition’s face and quickly found himself sent out… Conal was put clear on goal, but obviously the pressure of a hat-trick was too much, I’ll be kind here and say he missed the target.

The final quarter saw us score 3 goals and concede 1. The only scare coming when after another round of ‘whack-a-mole’ (an apparently illegal tactic) I got cramp and in a totally manly way,doggy paddled to the side to be subbed.

Finally a big thank you to Amy for reffing on her own, after Trevor pulled out last minute due to illness, and doing a really good job of it.

Goal scorers

Pery 4

Conal 2

Drew 1

Malcom 1

Majors

Drew 2

Malcom 1

Injuries

Mitch – Ebola

Horlock – Waltonitis

BKS – Cramp, Waltonitis

Jesse – MIA

Conal – Life threatening Waltonitis

Man of the Match

Conal – despite the miss, 2 great goals and good all round attacking play and movement.