Bowdon Killer Bees 4 - Bowdon Killer Bees 5

What's this? The Bees playing with themselves? Let's not even go there... To clarify things, the Bees were joined by a select elite from the Ladies first, second and third elevens to play some mixed hockey, (and put some money behind the bar in case the cricketers have forgotten how to do this!).

So, some of you reading this will have been on the other side to me, in which case you won, not lost. All I can say is that you've let the whole team down by ensuring the final (probably) match report goes down as a loss. Tut. Unless one of you wants to write a report from the other side of the fence? No? Thought not...

The game started with some quality school playground style team picking by the two captains. Sally-Ann pulled a blinder by picking Jimmy, so the psychological warfare began by me picking his 'Special Friend', Miss P. Despite the fact that team selection quickly polarised into Sal picking strong players and me picking attractive blondes (Andy & Carl, you don't fall into that category btw. I had to pick some blokes), the teams proved surprisingly well matched, as the final scoreline shows.

The game got off to a good start for my side (the proper Bees) as we applied pressure immediately & got a couple of shots on goal. We initally held back the counterattack, but it felt like hard work. This was probably explained by the fact that the opposition's devious and underhand captain had put all fifteen players on the pitch at once. Having straightened out this 'oversight' on Sal's part (she is new to the game apparently...) the game continued apace. It was up and down stuff with my side building a two goal lead, only to lose it and regain it again.

By the third quarter things were all square. Harry the Cat had put in some excellent saves at our end, while Mr Higham had made a nuisance of himself in nets for the oppo. Yours truely had wandered up the pitch as usual , leaving the ultra-dependable Messrs Tennant and Braithwaite to hold the fort at the back. The predictable Fishy-vs-Fishy midfield battle made great spectator sport. The oppo had already taken out one of my star blondes, the future-mrs-moss, and had a good attempt at taking out Andy as well. Unfortunately Colin made the mistake of whacking Andy in the head, where it was least likely to damage anything important, so Braithers still stayed in the game... For our part, Harry made a stirling effort to seperate Jimmy 'Two Heads' from his gonads, which would have quite helpful if it had worked as Jimmy was causing us lots of problems (unlike Yokker. Muhahahaha...).

Despite stirling midfield work by Sarah P, Big Fishy, Tiffster, Stickie and dribble-goddess Belinda, and some great attacking moves by the two Daves, Chris Marsh, Ellie and that ever-so-nice Vicky girl, the oppo caught up & overtook us by a single goal before the final whistle blew (... in what was surely one of the greatest travesties this game has ever seen, etc etc blah blah).

More Cava than Champagne hockey, it was nevertheless an extremely enjoyable game. (You could tell it was on a budget when the only chearleaders we could come up with were Charlie, Baywatch & Spaceman. Ugh). Thanks to the ladieeeez for coming along & to all the other flotsam who turned up and have remained unnamed (Like Skippy. Doh! Now he's been named).