Strathallan Six-a-Side Tournament

Click here for the pdf file - gives more stats and colour!

Having already met most of these teams in the National Qualifiers, we knew that there was no reality of a tournament win. But with determination and pride to the fore, the performance of all the players improved throughout the day with their best hockey played against the eventual Tournament winners.

Unfortunately a 2¼ hour bus journey, that normally takes an hour and a half, (that Edinburgh bypass is frightful!) was no preparation for a day’s hockey! With a wait of 20 minutes before our first match we watched Riley ‘A’ and Ardvreck - two of our group opponents. Warm up was sporadic and when we took the pitch to play Fettes we definitely looked slow and rusty.

As the limbs began to flex and the drills in training began to be remembered, the hockey became more attractive. Peter Dalrymple showed strength on the ball, but was still shy about taking on the defence all the way to the base line; Tom Galbraith ran all over the place but was slow to release the ball and Geordie Gladwin was straight into the mêlée having to save quite a few shots. Others did their best to keep up but this first encounter took everyone by surprise.

Strathallan ‘B’ was a slower affair and allowed us to get our breath back and play at a pace that suited us more. This was the game in which patterns were developed and many more chances arose. Three were taken, one from a good hard hit from Peter Dalrymple at a penalty corner, another from Rory Barnes making a good sweep shot from an angle and Peter D showing that his first goal was not a fluke powered a straight shot underneath the goalie’s feet.

Ardvreck put the pressure back on in our third game and we found ourselves struggling to keep up. Fantastic defence by Geordie and Archie Rettie, who was put in as back for the injured Hector Laird. The young players, Tom Stodart and George Cuthbert, found the pace a little too hot but were learning quickly that tenacity would get them possession and they made some good moves in the circle that sadly were not converted into goals.

Strathallan ‘A’ allowed our newly found confidence to increase and a cracking game of end to end hockey was the result. Will Jack, spurred on by some shouting from the coach (actually a few spells off the pitch worked wonders for him!) became a little more aggressive in is play and he decided to show the coach what he could do - dribbled through a couple of players and slotted a goal. So why doesn’t he do that throughout the match?!?

Peter Dalrymple scored the other goal that levelled the score and we found ourselves in third position after the morning’s play and through to the Main Cup Competition. Lunch was certainly deserved!

There were to be two matches in the afternoon - both of which had to be won convincingly if we were to go through to the Final. But although we played much better hockey, both Cargilfield and Fettes proved too strong for us and we eventually ended up last in the Main Pool.

The game against Cargilfield was excellent, despite going down 1 - 4. In the first half, having conceded a rather easy goal, we had four chances go begging and they really should have been put away. By now everyone was much more aware of where they should be, holding the ball instead of passing it straight to the opposition in panic and creating space to run into and receive the ball. On-the-ball skill and strength improved and in both the match against Cargilfield and Fettes, Peter Dalrymple scored a goal that brought his competition tally to 5.

Had those chances been taken the story might have had a different ending, but in the end we went home knowing that our hockey had improved and everyone had had a good day. Certainly the Strathallan catering was much enjoyed! To crown the day Geordie Gladwin was chosen as Goalkeeper of the Tournament by the Tournament Sponsors, SilverFX, and I gather Geordie has a choice of a piece of Goalkeeping kit from SilverFX - lucky bloke and well-deserved, for had he not chucked himself around in the circle our goals against tally would have looked pretty shocking!

Well done all of you - a long day, but worth it. And many thanks to the three stalwart Mums who turned up - hopefully Mrs Laird managed to get her car working again!

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