Southgate Tankards 0 - 2 Hertford VI

Yes, rub your eyes, put on your reading glasses, we've won a hockey match. It's taken us two months and 9 games but we are on our way at last. Now they are in the league, Tankards are a slightly younger and fitter bunch than the friendly side we have been playing in past seasons, and were 8 points ahead of us in the table. But our past games against them maybe gave us the game plan we needed to chalk up a well deserved win. Use the extra space and time, play round your opponents, not through them, keep patient in defence and keep plenty of cover at the back for the long ball to the goalhanger. And that's what we did...

From a fairly even start, with few real opportunities at either end, we gradually got better and better, and finally spent the last quarter encamped in their 25 mixing fizzing crosses with delicate short passing combinations, until Chris Dean finally forced one past their keeper from short range on 63 minutes for his first goal for the club. We then closed the game down firmly, but there was still time for Chris to add a second with 2 minutes to go.

George, all of seven games into his hockey career, found himself the elder statesman in the youngest front 5 we have ever fielded, but with a bit of help from Andy Benson's mix of thumping long balls and delicate wide lay offs, the lads played some smart build ups, working into the D in neat clusters. We still need to improve the finishing touch. Faster reflexes and greater shooting power will come with age and practice; the aggression and confidence that says 'that ball is mine' we can work on now.

Ewen gets man of the match for covering 5 different positions as wandering sub, and looking impressive in all of them. His run into the D and shot (well saves by the keeper) was the classiest moment of the game. But everybody looked good this week because we all played for each other, and learned as the game went on.

Tony has settled into the back 4 like he's been there for ever (the rest of us feel we have been) and he put Southgate's best effort, from a short corner, safely round the outside of the post. Otherwise Nick had a fairly quiet game but kept everything tidy and booked his third clean sheet of the season.

Onwards from here - can't wait to get to grips with West Herts next week..