The east end of Glasgow`s Theatre of Dreams, pitch 2 at Glasgow Green was the venue for Kelburne Men`s 2`s 4th game of the season.
Easter may be long gone and a distant memory to most, but there happens to be another `Resurrection` taking place and it`s based around a group of Kelburne players, who under coach Chris Caldwell are growing in self belief and confidence every week.
Under a cloudy, patchy blue sky and mild dry conditions, pitch 2 `almost` reminded you of the green, pristine lawns of the Masters golf course at Augusta, everything was perfect, the stage was set for both teams to go out and give their best. There was definitely a sense of anticipation stirring amongst the watching Kelburne supporters and a quick poll on the final score line came back with 3-1, 4-0 and 5-2 to Kelburne.
No pressure then!
The confidence from the supporters comes off the back of a very impressive win the previous week over Dunfermline Carnegie M2`s, but notably the make-up of the team has changed every week with Coach Chris Caldwell not able to pick the same squad twice since the start of the season.
The squad of 15 for today`s match is worth looking at in more detail in terms of its composition. Youth is taken care of in the shape of goal keeper Ally Glen 14, who in the first 2 matches of the season has been outstanding, making crucial saves at critical times to keep Kelburne`s chances alive. Next up Adam Jack 14, who is developing into a very skillful player with close ball control and an ability to go past defenders with ease. Next up Tom Hunt 14, defender, Team boy, budding journalist and for his age not short of confidence when playing under pressure at the back. Last, but certainly not least, player of the month Scott Love 15, whose is fast becoming one of the go to players who is driving this team to greater heights through his amazing work rate and good decision making. Scott`s dad Gordon Love, has we hear, put another order in for a new pair of trainers, as Scott is currently wearing out a pair a week with the amount of running that he does during games.
Youth has to be balanced with experience and this team has it in spades, even bucket loads and possibly by the proverbial dumper truck. In fact, they probably have too much experience.
Don Tervit, Adam Bain, Ewan Carmichael, John G Shepherd and Stevie Berry, have all been there done it and bought the t-shirt when it comes to playing at the highest levels of the game and although `old father time is snapping away at their heels` they continue to be great servants to Kelburne Hockey club,
With the likes of Martin Byrne, Gary Brolly, Mark Connor, Calum McAfferty, Calum Stewart and Andrew Duff coming back into the fold, all the ingredients are there to put together a recipe for a well-seasoned, balanced team that Gordon Ramsay would be effing proud off.
Grange 3`s turned up to todays match with a squad of 14 players and their team had a similar make-up to the Kelburne Squad, blending youth with experienced older players.
Get us back to the match you say… yep we are getting there, the build-up is everything in good story telling, I hope, here we go…..
Game on - First Quarter
The game started very `cagey` with Grange setting their stall out from the start and retreating to a half-press when Kelburne had the ball in possession in their own quarter. Perhaps these `cautious` tactics were the result of recent matches that Grange had lost and also `shipped` lots of goals.
This was something different for Kelburne to deal with, as in previous games they had not been given this amount of space and time on the ball at the back. The opposition half became `packed` with 11 Grange players sitting back and keeping space and opportunities for the Kelburne midfield and forward players to a minimum.
The slow pace to the start of the game, combined with the Grange tactics lead to some `nervous` play in the Kelburne ranks and both teams struggled to retain possession and generate any good passages of play to take control of the match in the early stages.
Grange continued to play `low risk` hockey with little or no desire to put bodies forward into the Kelburne D in numbers. The ambition to play on the front foot and attack was all coming from Kelburne and it was not long before a long pass into the Grange D led to a trademark, touch, quick turn and lightning snap shot from Andrew Duff which went wide and high of the Grange goal. This was surely an alert to all of those watching of more chances to follow for Kelburne.
Adam Bain started to influence the game more (as all the best players do) by playing longer accurate passes with high ball pace, to bypass the compact Grange front line defence, to link up with the Kelburne forwards who were working hard to make good leads into space off their markers.
With little action of note from either team the first quarter ended with umpire Dougie McEwan checking with his co-umpire Raymond Nelson that the first quarter had indeed ended due to what appeared to be a watch malfunction. Later confirmed by Dougie McEwan as an 18 minute and a bit, or there abouts quarter.
Nil-Nil end of 1st quarter, suffice to say the Kelburne support were hoping for more action in the Grange D in the second quarter.
Second Quarter
Grange have the push-back, and with the Kelburne players ears still hot from the 2 minute opportunity that coach Chris Caldwell had to relay his thoughts. There was an immediate impact on the pitch from Martin Byrne whose quick reactions enabled him to intercept a poor pass from the Grange player and make a fast break from the half way line into the Grange D and get a reverse stick shot off which was well blocked by a Grange defender.
Grange continued to lack ambition going forwards and struggled with making any headway into the Kelburne half. None of their midfield appeared to be able to match the work rate from Ewan Carmichael and Scott Love, with both showing a great desire to receive the ball and link up play with their team mates.
Another excellent long ball into the Grange D was picked up by Scott Love who cleverly draws a stick tackle from a Grange defender to win a penalty corner for Kelburne. Scott then fluffs the push out but makes up for his initial error by shortly after winning the ball back and Kelburne have their 2nd penalty corner. J G Shepherd manages to get a powerful strike off from the top of the D from the corner but the Grange keeper makes a good block and a long corner is awarded by Raymond Nelson, but again nothing comes from it for Kelburne.
Adam Bain`s experience and game management were now really coming to the fore, and Kelburne were starting to dominate the game, particularly through their greater work rate.
Great interplay in the middle of the pitch between Scott and Tom ends with a pass into the Grange D for forward Stevie Berry to attack but is snuffed out by the tight Grange defence.
Kelburne continue to press forward with this time Duff and J.G. combining in mid-field allowing J.G. to make a strong driving run into the Grange D to win penalty corner number 3, but Grange defend it well again and the Umpire Dougie McEwan blows his whistle to end the first half, this time with no apparent watch malfunctions.
Kelburne will be very frustrated with the 1st half and coach Chris Caldwell would have wanted his team to have made the Grange goal keeper work a lot harder for his `corn`.
Meanwhile goal keeper Ally Glen has had his feet up smoking a pipe while enjoying a small brandy and re-runs on his mobile phone of the greatest St. Mirren goals ever scored, as Grange have had no attempts on goal in the whole of the 1st half.
As the old saying goes it looks like it could be a game of 2 halves or maybe 4 quarters. Its all to play for, but at the moment it only looks like one team wants to win it, but it could still go either way, time will tell. Have I missed any standard quotes ?
Will coach Chris Caldwell take the opportunity at half time to changes things up or leave it as it is and see if his team can continue to create chances to get the goal that they deserve.
2nd Half
Kelburne have the push back and make a quick start with another Adam Bain pass finding Martin Byrne in the Grange D who wins penalty corner number 4. This time Mark Connor takes the push out but also `duffs` it, but Kelburne somehow manage to win another penalty corner, number 5.
This time Adam Bain takes on the role of pushing the ball out for the penalty corner and the ball is fizzed off his stick like a rat down a drain pipe to J.G. who decides to stop the ball himself and fire a magnificently struck shot beyond the Grange goal keeper and into the backboard of the goal. The noise of the ball hitting the backboard reverberates around the Glasgow Green Scottish National Hockey centre and the Kelburne fans erupt in celebration. Finally Kelburne get the goal that their sustained attacking play deserves.
He may not be 6 feet 4 inches tall, or blond, or have a Norwegian name but J.G.`s scoring rate to the start of the season so far is phenomenal. Game 1 2 goals, Game 2 1 goal, Game 3 1 goal and here we are again with another fantastic strike to add to his tally and put Kelburne into the lead.
The goal appears to raise the temperature in both teams and all of a sudden tackles start to fly in, the physicality goes up and the games intensity goes up several notches. Game on.
Kelburne win corner number 6 after a sustained high press and it looks like Grange might start to buckle, but this the drag flick from Martin Byrne is dealt with by the Grange defence.
The older Grange players start to make too many poor challenges on the Kelburne players and it appears that it`s only a matter of time before Kelburne add another precious goal to their collection.
Further pressure leads to penalty corner number 7, with Grange yet to have any. Adam again pushes out with great technique to Tom to stop and lay off for Stevie Berry to get a good shot off which Grange somehow manage to deflect over the bar.
Deliberate foul by a Grange player in their 25 gets an award of a nice bright green rectangular card with round edges from umpire Dougie McEwan. Grange down to 10 players. Surely Kelburne can now kill this game off.
All of a sudden there`s a `stramash` a `rammy` a `bunnel in` a coming together between a Kelburne and Grange player in the Grange D, several players from both sides get involved but umpire Dougie McEwan quickly gets control of the game back and speaks to the captains of both teams. Final Warning to all. Kelburne through all this have been awarded penalty corner number 8.
Grange now on the ropes, Henry Cooper once caught Ali with one of his legendary left hooks, and Ali only survived the round by having the excuse of a cut glove. Can Grange find that cut glove or something to save them now.
Penalty corner number 8 but nothings comes of it for Kelburne. The end of the 3rd quarter finishes with the Kelburne youngsters Hunt, Jack and Love working together well with some intricate short passing and movement through a group of Grange players. Whistle blows and one quarter left to play. Still only 1-0 Kelburne, but Grange while it stays one nil still have a `punchers` chance to get back into this game. Can Kelburne finally close this game out, will this match report ever end…..
4th Quarter
Grange have the push back.
Grange finally get into the Kelburne 25 for the 1st time since, well a long time, a very long time, but it peters out and Kelburne get the ball quickly up the right hand side of the pitch, which leads to a free hit in the Grange 25. Quick thinking from Kelburne and a tiring, mentally and physically Grange player is not 5 metres and umpire Dougie McEwan awards the penalty corner number 9 to the Kelburne team. Another great flick from Martin Byrne from the corner but the goal keeper saves and the second goal for Kelburne is proving as elusive as finding Lord Lucan.
Adam Bain, Mark Connor and club legend Don Tervit appear to have had a `vice like` grip on this match from the Kelburne defensive point of view and it looks like Grange could play all day and all night and never win a corner.
Next passage of play and Grange have their first penalty corner of the match and score. Kelburne 1 Grange 1.
The watching Kelburne support all groan in disbelief, but their still time left in this match, can Kelburne now lift themselves again and show the character that has been present in their first 3 matches of the season.
Absolutely…
With the game now on a knife edge another accurate long pass from Adam Bain up to Andrew Duff who in turn finds Stevie Berry in the D who wins penalty corner number 10. J.G. produces another great strike but the ball goes wide of the goal.
The game is now end to end and the Grange tails are up, they must feel that they can still win this match. Meanwhile the Kelburne supporters have finished chewing the nails on their fingers and have started chewing on any other body parts available.
After some pressure from Grange Adam Bain takes charge again and fires the ball down the length of the pitch high into the side line to relieve the pressure on the Kelburne defence and calls on the rest of the team to press high up the pitch and `squeeze` the Grange team into the corner.
Martin Byrne steps off from the Grange player taking the side line hit, the requisite 5m. The Grange player tries to relieve the pressure on his team by going a high long scoop out from the side line. As the ball rises off the Grange players stick Martin makes a huge leap upwards like Michael Jordan rising to make one of his famous dunks, and stops the ball in the air with his raised stick. Martin makes the decision in nanoseconds to play the ball into the Grange D to find the ever reliable Duff who wrong foots the Grange defender by changing the direction of the ball with his first touch to set up the ball such that he can hit it with a reverse strike and the ball, almost in slow motion for the Kelburne supporters, flies into the bottom right corner of the goal with the Grange goal keeper left looking at the rebound of the ball on the way back out. A thing of simplicity, beauty and skill hone by many hours and hours of practice, what a goal. 2-1 the Kelburne.
Grange to their credit still trying to get back into the game and apply further pressure to the Kelburne defence, but the wily J.G. takes a hit to knee and takes his time getting back to his feet, play stopped and the last blast of hot air from Grange fades into the ether.
Whistle blows for full time, another hard fought and thoroughly well deserved 3 point for the Kelburne Men 2`s side.
Special mention to both Umpires Dougie McEwan and Raymond Nelson, two old heads who umpired the game very well and kept the game flowing.
Final Words fromm Coach Chris Caldwell after the game on his teams performance.
`Boys battled through some tough periods of the game, not their best performance we done enough to win the game.
