M1s in creditable draw

The Cheam machine rolled out for the final preseason match before the season starts proper. The 1s were to get their first taste of opposition from our new league this season, Surrey Div 1, in the form of Croydon & Old Whits. They finished 3rd in Div 1 last season so it would be an interesting test to see where we pitched.

Having selected 12 players for the game, the 1s were reduced to a bare 11 through the now customary Friday withdrawal of Ben Ogden, who has now made it a solid 2 from 2 bail-outs! Here's hoping his work schedule improves as the season progresses. Nonetheless, from adversity comes opportunity, and in this case it came as an opportunity for Shaun Browne, Cheam HC's resident Australian and Shane Warne fanboy, who has been desperate to play for the 1s for some time now and finally got the call. Put me in coach!

The 1s turned up to the game in style. Readers of last week's report will recall that the kit was given to keeper Andrew Oldale to wash for the first time last week. It went to him in a plastic bag, so a few eyebrows were raised when it arrived pitchside on the day of the game in a Mulberry leather bag. Dom Beales, what score would that get in the 'how posh are you' 3s preseason interviews? ;) Photo to follow once it gets sent to me, so in the meantime see a lovely one of Alex Beattie trying to look mean.

The game itself was a mixed bag. Cheam were slow out of the traps and our first half was very scrappy, while Croydon started with purpose. We made a number of chances early on and could have been a few goals to the good, we didn't quite convert and Croydon started to exert pressure. A strong high press from them denied Cheam time and space, and a pressurised Cheam conceded possession on a number of occasions. One such occasion resulted in a goal to the oppo, which I genuinely remember nothing about. Cheam went in at the break probably lucky to be only 1-0 down, as Croydon also had a number of corners in the 1st half, but couldn't convert, with Andrew Oldale making a number of good saves.

The second half was much more positive from Cheam, as we took the game to the opposition, took control of the game and made numerous chances. Playing with purpose and intent, Cheam scored an equalised through Seb Jennings, another one that I don't remember (but I am reliably informed by Seb that it was amazing!) and then took the lead. This one I do recall(!), with Seb breaking down the right, and making the most of a 2 on 1 situation to square the ball past the keeper for Alex Beattie to sweep into an open goal. Hilariously, Alex chose instead to outrageously dummy the ball / fall over, instead of putting the ball in the goal, leaving Will Gault, who had the foresight to assume Tanners would miss, to follow up and perfom the afore-mentioned sweeping. 2-1 Cheam, but Croydon pushed hard and won a shot corner with the last play of the game. After going slightly wrong, Croydon improvised well adn scored a smart finish for a 2-2 final score. Probably a fair result considering and one we can be reasonably satisfied with as the final preseason game.

Other highlights included William Lindsay getting a yellow card for a vicious tackle on an opponent, and reacting wonderfully, as well as watching Chris Harvey's reaction to almost being done for pace by Croydon's impossibly quick forward. Chris almost let slip one of his legendary 'Oh Ello' remarks as he buckled down and did a slightly more subtle version of the Koen Overeynder block to keep the sleeveless paceman at bay.

Match done, we went out for a social, watched England win at the rugby (they were the team in red, right?) and then hit the town. Which may explain why I don't remember some of the crucial details of the game!

Preseason work is done - bring on the first match of the league!