Men's 1's Match Reports

Bicester Men’s 1st XI 4
Oxford Hawks 1

Following their three-week break over the festive period, Bicester welcomed Oxford Hawks for their first game of the 2011.

Bicester were facing probably the most youthful team that they had played all season and mid-way through the first half, Bicester’s experience began to show. A good run by the very experienced Wayne Dobbins into the Hawks “D” saw the ball rebound to Geoff Snell who slotted the ball into the bottom corner to give Bicester a deserved lead.

Within ten minutes another good break by the home team resulted in a penalty corner. A great routine from Neil Jones and Martyn Southam, allowed Dobbins to strike the ball hard into the goal from the top of the “D”.

Half-time: Bicester 2 Oxford Hawks 0

The start of the second half was very scrappy with neither side able to get a foothold on the game but the Bicester defence of Dan Round, Southam, Jon Sullivan and man-of-the-match Stuart Goodacre held firm and as the half continued Bicester’s experience began to show again. This time a sideline hit from captain Round found Snell in middle of the park, his pass found Dobbins at the top of the day who turned smartly to strike the ball into the bottom corner.

As both teams began to tire a little, Hawks got a scrappy consolation goal, but Bicester restored their three-goal advantage as Chris Ruff tipped the ball into the net following another good short-corner routine.

Bicester will hope that they improve in the coming weeks, but after this scrappy performance were very pleased to pick up another three points and still remain unbeaten.

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Men 1X  3 - 2  Wycombe 3XI

After five  weeks, four games, 2 wins and two draws Bicester mens 1sts  welcomed Wycombe 3rds who lay one place above them having played  an extra game.  Before the start it was noticed too protect their teeth a young Wycombe side put in gum shields, where as the aged of Bicester simply took Thiers out With selection slightly more straight forward than previous weeks a very strong starting eleven started the first half well.  Wycombe had no response to the early pressure exerted by the central midfield pairing of Snell and Roger supported by pacey wide men of Smith and Bywater.  Previous weeks had seen penalty corner chances go begging but CJ Birtles opened the scoring after catching a deflection goalwards denting the underside of the crossbar in the process. Wycombe began to show why they were second in the league and kept man of the Match sweeper Martyn (Hulk Hogan) Southam busy at the back and Keeper Peter Bowen interested.  With the game still being contested at half time by two solid sides Bicester started the second  half strongly.  Some excellent unselfish passing between Chris Ruff and Wayne Dobbins saw Harry Gaunt score his third in three games into an open goal.  Five minutes later saw Dobbins score another of Bicester Short corners with a fearsome route one strike. With the game in Bicester control Wycombe’s youth started to warm up causing trouble for the defence of Birtles, Round, Sullivan and Southam.  A Wycombe penalty corner left keeper Bowen chasing ghosts and revived Wycombes chances.  As Smith, Bywater and Surana tired Wycome scored again from close range to leave the game finely poised.  But the defence of Bicester proved resolute again and kept out Wycombes best chances and took all three points to move into second.  Bicester will be pround of another battling performance continuing the fine unbeaten start to the league they continue to enjoy.

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Bicester men 1’s 2 – 2 sonning

Bicester mens 1’s returned to league action this week against Sonning 3’s.  The week gap had not been kind to Bicester and the less said about the first half the better.  Both side missed clear opportunities to open the scoring.  Frustration amongts the Bicester ranks grew as a confident Sonning side put the pressure on a faultering Bicester.  As tensions grew Sonning scored a well worked goal capping a awful first half.

Half time saw coach Mark Stuart-Thompson and Captain Dan Round rightly label the first half performance as a beyond poor on too many levels and that the second could not contain the indiscipline shown. So Bicester started the second half looking to salvage something and after only a few minutes the midfield of Ruff, Roger, Snell and Smith created a clear chance that forward Wayne Dobbins converted to equalise.  As Bicester worked through the gears Surana started a break that resulted in Gaunt scoring his first 1’s XI goal from close range. 

As the game seemed to be going Bicesters way Sonning scored a short corner that left keeper Bowen little chance.  The rest of the game saw sonning have little chance to go ahead as Round . Man of the match John Sullivan, Birtles and Southam held strong.  Guilt edge chances from Smith and Gaunt could have seen Bicester take all 3 points late on but a in form Sonning keeper helped the game remain level and both sides stay unbeaten in the league.

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Bicester Men’s 1^st XI 2 – 0 Rover Oxford Men’s 3^rd XI

Bicester Men’s 1’s continued their good start to the league with a 2-0 win over Rover Oxford 3rds.  After a furious start to the game Jon Roger struck for the far post where Luke Smith appeared at just the right time to tap in from close range after 2 minutes.  With the midfield of Roger, Smith, Snell and Lock again working hard Rover struggled to get back into the game.  With great pressure being applied forwards Chris Ruff and Harry Gaunt went close on a number of occasions only being denied by an assertive Rover keeper. 

The second half saw Bicester again pushing hard and with the defence of Birtles, Sullivan, Captain Daniel Round and Man of the match Martyn Southam in inspired form Rover never troubled Peter Bowen in the Bicester goal.  With 15 to go and Bicester wanting a second goal, the fresh legs of Sach and Goodacre in midfield proved vital winning a string of penalty corners that lead to goal two.  It was again the Roger and Smith combo that did the damage with Roger deftly feeding in Smith at the right post to tap in again from close range.

Rover had no answer and Bicester take six points out of six with plenty to work on and improve ready for Sonning in two weeks.

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Abingdon 1^st 1 v Bicester 1^st 3

Bicester Men’s 1^st team started their league campaign away against Abingdon with a 3-1 victory. 

The start of the game was dominated by Abingdon’s quick start and wide play.  The defensive team of Birtles, Southam, Sullivan and captain Dan Round all made some great tackles to keep out the Abingdon forwards pushing for an early advantage.  With a steady platform built Bicester worked them selves into the game.  After 10 minutes Geoff Snell broke down the left sweeping the ball under a slightly bemused Abingdon keeper from a wide angle.

Reeling from being a goal down and great pressure from the midfield the Abingdon defence played a few sloppy balls around the back resulting in Chris Ruff scoring Bicester’s second after receiving the ball from wide right from Smith.  Bicester pushed forward to finish Abingdon off before half time with Midfielders Roger, Lock, Smith and Cross all finding space and time to dictate play in the middle leading up until the half time whistle.

The second half began exactly as coach Mark Stuart-Thompson predicted with Abingdon throwing everything forward.  Bicester keeper and man of the match Peter “Slim” Bowen making a string of spectacular saves to keep Abingdon increasingly frustrated.  The game descended into a scrappy end-to-end long ball session for ten minutes with no team holding possession leading to Abingdon converting a penalty corner. 

With the game now finely poised and Abingdon pushing hard for the equaliser forward Harry Gaunt found lots of space in the opposing half troubling an ageing and slow defence with pace.   It was this lack of pace that undid them again as Smith broke through leaving the defender no option but to kick the ball away to stop the pass around the rushing keeper.  CJ Birtles stepped up and scored the resulting penalty flick.

Bicester now once again in the driving seat kept out the often dangerous Abingdon players with increasing ease to see out the remainder of the game.

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Bicester mens 1’s  v staines.  Result 3 -3 draw

With the second weekend of half term proving more problematic for selection than the first Bicester were relieved to just turn up with 12 and get on with the game.

The game was played in a firm but well mannered fashion.  Bicester started the stronger and forwards Dobbins and Gaunt linked well to open the scoring.  But just like last season Staines were not going to let this lie and soon equalised as keeper Bowen was left open after some good stains play.

Half time saw Bicester confident that they could win and take the points.  Stains thought otherwise and the defence of Sullivan, Round, Allen and Stuart-Thompson were overun leaving Stains 3-1 up half way through the second half. 

As heads fell with 10 minutes to go, The unbeaten run as good as over, a passionate Mike Bywater joined the  Midfield of Smith, Sach and Roger and proved inspirational.  With the Stains keeper stopping just about everything Bywater slammed the ball into the roof of the goal with ten left.  5 later Surana started a move leaving Captain Round space to move forward.  Finding Gaunt who superbly layed it into Bywaters path again beating the Keeper to equalise.  Bicester will always think of what if needing only 5 more seconds of play as Bywater and Smith broke free and only the keeper to beat as the final whistle blew.

Not the best game of the season but Bicester answered many questions that the past few seasons had failed to do.  But Bicester remain unbeaten and lots of faces to return next week

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12th December 2009

Bicester I 1 vs 2 British Airways II

Bicester I started the no win weekend for the men’s section this week with a poor result against British Airways. Despite dominating large portions of the game and having better scoring opportunities, Bicester was punished by a defensive error and a set piece.

Bicester started the game more brightly than their opponents and in the early exchanges looked the team more likely to score. Bicester obliged with a simple worked goal. Luke Smith’s deep penetrating run and pass set up Wayne Dobbins with a simple conversion. The lead was short lived when a hopeful hit into the D was intercepted and the clearance from John Sullivan went directly to a BA player who duly dribbled into the D and with the Bicester defence off balance slotted home to equalise. Bicester maintained their composure and shortly afterwards were threatening again. A quick break and lightning run from Smith found him in the D with a 1 v 1 situation against the keeper. He took the better option of squaring the ball to Dobbins who was unfortunate not to score a gilt edged opportunity. Despite showing more promise Bicester failed to regain their lead and although BA’s scoring opportunities were few and far between they made the most of a second half penalty corner drilling the ball home from the top of D. Bicester continued to press but despite good build up play from midfield; failed to make any impact to the scoreline and finished the match without any of the points that they richly deserved. Captain Dan Round also commented that the umpires put in a fantastic performance to make the game thoroughly enjoyable despite the result.

Bicester Mens 1st XI 8 - Harrow 1st XI 3

Our first pre season game was against Harrow 1st XI. On the newly re -laid Coopers School pitch and a very hot Saturday afternoon Bicester started very strongly under the watchful eyes of our new club coach Mark Stuart-Thompson. Within the first 2 minutes Bicester were 1 up after a well worked team move ended with Wayne Buxey slotting the ball home.

Wayne then proceeded to finish a further two times in the first 10 minutes of the game the third being a very cheeky reverse stick looping flick, with the Harrow keeper watching helplessly as it drops in the goal behind him. Wayne Dobbins then took his opportunity to make it 4-0 to Bicester with another well worked move. Harrow came back and scored a goal against the run of play with a simple penalty corner routine. This re-energised the Bicester team who then hit 3 further goals before half time scored by Lewis Allen, Jonathan Roger, and a second goal for Wayne Dobbins.