The final game of the season rounded off a campaign of mixed emotions for Sevenoaks Men’s 1s. A typically inconsistent performance that was somewhat symptomatic of their season.
The home side started the game with some of the best hockey that they had played all year. Executing the game plan exactly as departing coach Ian Haley had asked prior to push back. Simple but fluid play around the whole pitch and moving the ball on with speed. Sevenoaks threatened with good attacking forays into the visitor’s half. An in-form Charlie Brooks distributed well from the centre of midfield and connected well with Nick Baker down the right hand side of the pitch. It seemed that the young Oaks players were firing on all cylinders as Meno Mangat put the home side up in just the fourth minute of play from a fine deflection.
On the quarter time mark Tim Warrington put a second goal in for Sevenoaks showing composure in front of goal to slot home and create some breathing room. Old Loughts fought back in the second quarter but the Oaks defensive resilience and hard work kept the visitors at bay and young goalkeeper Rory Mylroi wasn’t called upon more than a couple of times for short corners.
In the twenty fifth minute some excellent work by Ben Selby, running left to right at the top D, won a short corner. Kieran Walton picked his spot and executed, the goal line defender didn’t stand a chance as the ball ricocheted off him into the Old Loughton net. At half time 3-0 seemed like a great start to the game which should be well out of reach for the travelling side.
The third quarter started with both teams having equal opportunities and neither making much headway around the other’s goal. Oaks squandered some good attacking chances with poor execution while still managing to foil any attacks from the opposition. At the end of the third quarter Oaks were still 3-0 up.
Unfortunately for Oaks, as has been the case all too regularly this season, they tailed off in the final quarter. Oaks immediately conceded with the Old Loughts captain scoring their opener. Two minutes later Oaks former pinup man JT showed his class, scoring a second for Old Loughts making it a rather uncomfortable 3-2 to Sevenoaks. Oaks tried to steady the ship, and did in fact create several excellent opportunities to re-establish the two goal margin and kill the game, but where Oaks dawdled, Loughts capitalised, pulling back an equaliser with just two minutes left on the clock.
The game ended 3-3 with the home side bruised from letting this final game slip. Oaks finished fifth in the league, a fair reflection of their season, but a good platform to build on.
