Cheam Mens Vets "Clarets"

Report: The Clarets had a great 4-3 win against a highly skillfull Spencer team on Saturday. Goals from Anton Mostert [2], Kevin French and Simon Taylor in a spectacular first half Cheam were just sufficient to see off the oppo. This puts us top of Group C in the play off series against the Vets West Division!

Have a good Easter

Report: Last Saturday the Clarets went down 2-6 to Hampstead & Westminster at Nonsuch. Despite a solid start whilst the visiters settled down, Cheam were momentarily guilty of uncharisteristic lapses in concentration, which gifted the visiters two goals early on. Not to be detered Cheam came back on each occsion with well taken goals by Bob Stiff and a second scored by Paul Williams to bring the scores level again. At this stage the visiters realised they had a game on their hands until a series of short corners eventually gave Hampstead the chance to open up a two goal advantage.In the second half the sides seemed to reach stalemate with neither team looking like scoring. In the dieing minutes, however, Cheam threw caution to the wind and conceded two more goals.

Report: Last Saturday the Clarets lost 3-4 to The Old Masonians.  Cheam was caught out in the first 45 seconds by two rather quick teenagers that appeared  from no where in the oppo forward line.  After the set back the Clarets accepted that perhaps they had a game on their hands after all and started to play.  However, the excellent two goals from Bob Stiff and one from Anton Mostert proved insufficient in the end to take anything from the game.  At least the Clarets are starting to find the net again.

Report: Last Saturday the Clarets pulled off a great 4-1 victory against St Albans in a keenly contested encounter at Nonsuch. The home side started as though they meant business, forcing the oppo into their half of the field for much of the first quarter. Bob Stiff, from the heart of the Cheam defence, initiated most of the moves passing the ball through the midfield, which allowed the frontline to create a number of opportunities behind a committed defence. Eventually this paid off when Anton Mostert diverted in a powerfully struck shot from the back of the circle. The break through and domination of play to that point perhaps lulled the Clarets into a false sense of security or alternatively St Albans stepped on the gas. Either way Cheam found themselves under pressure and conceeded a well taken goal shortly before the interval. In the second half St Albans piled on the pressure but on this occasion the Clarets stood firm and were soon rewarded with a penalty corner. In the words of our expatriate froggy "Anton Mostert drew back his weapon and thrashed the ball through the legs of a startled St Albans player to score a maginicent goal". Not satisfied and still hungery for more, the Clarets continued to press forward against an uncompromissing defence. The effort resulted in deputant,Simon Taylor, ceasing his chance to make his mark by scoring an individual goal from the back of the circle to give the Clarets a 3-1 lead. Minutes later a Kevin French special, again from the back of the circle, found the net via a St Albans leg and a post. Finally the chances were going in and an awesome victory was assured.

Report: Last saturday the Clarets lost to Surbiton Jokers at Nonsuch. Cheam started well and with the scores at love all, just 5 minutes before half time, it looked like there could be a positive outcome to this match. Craig Wilson was being called on to make some great saves but at the other end the Clarets put several passing moves together and might have scored themselves. As it turned out they managed to switch off just before the oranges were brought out and, in three minutes, Surbiton scored a hat trick of goals. The second period will be remembered for Craig Wilson making a spectacular double save, the second on his backside with arms, legs and stick flaying in all directions in the air. Oh, and by the end, the Jokers, damn it, had scored 9 goals. Most coming in the final minutes.

Report: The friendly game against Reigate Priory last Saturday was memorable for the goal scored by Anton Mostert for Cheam and the winner crashed in by Simon Taylor, a new Cheam member. Unfortunately Simon was on loan for the oppo at the time but at least the Clarets are finding the net again. A penalty flick saved and several open goals missed, caused a Reigate player to comment "its just not your day is it?". To be fair with so many regular Clarets players still away the team did well to adjust to unfamliar positions, which was clear by not conceding in the second half and at the sametime creating a number of good chances to at least get a draw.

Report: The Clarets lost to the the leading vets side, Bromley & Beckenham, 0-4 last week. Cheam started the game with 11 outfield players awaiting the arrival of Frostie, who had been recruited at the last minute to replace an ailing Craig. The ploy of massing the midfield kept the oppo out of the circle preventing an early break through. Once the keeper was safely in place the Clarets were able to more than hold their own by some spirited running and tackling against a skillful side that fell into the trap of holding onto the ball too long around the circle. When they did get through Mark frost was always there to snuff out any chances close in. It seemed the only way the break through might come would be from a set piece short corner and this eventually proved to be the case. Despit the set back the Clarets managed to keep their discipline and saw the half time whistle blow only down to the single goal. In the second half Bromley & Beckenham managed to score a second goal early on. This resulted in play becoming more open as Cheam attempted to move forward to get back into the contest. However, it wasn't to be Cheam's day despite the effort put in by all the team.

Report: Last Saturday the Clarets lost 1-0 away to St Albans. A scoreless draw had seemed the most likely outcome until, with minutes to go, the home side brought on two new forwards forcing Cheam to play the remainder of the contest in their own quarter of the field . In the last play of the game a stray foot was spotted by the opposition, if not the umpire, and a penalty flick awarded, which was duly converted. In the first half both sides had their chances but were thwarted once again by the goalkeepers. During one short corner play David Parker managed to bravely divert the ball past the post with his foot but Craig Wilson was up to saving the panalty flick. Shortly before the interval,Cheam's momentum was struck a serious blow by the loss of Derek Wright to a painful pulled hamstring injury. Despite this set back, the Clarets continued to press forward. Helped by Jon Pagan, making a guest appearance, several clear cut chances to take the lead were engineeered but to no avail. Towards the end both sides were clearly running out of steam and the contest moved into a stalemate until the reinforcements arrived on the scene to spoil the party.

Report: The Clarets lost 5-0 to the Surbiton Jokers last Saturday.  Despite the heavy rain and wind the match was played at pace with both sides showing some good skills.  Surbiton dominated the early exchanges passing the ball through midfield, forcing the Cheam defence onto the back foot.  However, the Jokers held onto the ball in and around the circle for far too long, allowing the Clarets to recover and  make some excellent defensive tackles to deny the shooters. As is often the case two soft goals in rapid succession broke this stalemate.  Not to be put off the Clarets continued to play some good open hockey and came close on several occasions. One move involving all the forwards ended up with Bob Stiff's shot being accidently blocked by a Cheam foot on the line!  Once again it looked like being a case of the Clarets not having any luck in front of goal. In the second half  Surbiton dominated the play by better ball retention skills and some robust tackling thrown in for good measure. Under relentless pressure the Clarets held their shape and on a number of occasions were able to break free only to be thwarted on the edge of the circle. 

Report: Last week the Clarets contrived to record another defeat when a win looked on in the early stages. Over the first 20 minutes Cheam were totally dominant but somehow failed to convert the numerous opportunities that materialised from playing the game entirely in the opposition half. To be fair the goalkeeper did make a number of good saves, which on another day would have beaten him. The score remained annoyingly 0-0. Having survived the early stages Reigate started to mount the occasional breaklaway movement, which should have signaled a warning to the home side. One truely spectactular save by Frostie showed it was game on. Just before half time, a quickly taken short corner, saw Cheam facing the wrong way and the ball in the net before there was any sign of movement from the defenders on the goal line. Just after the interval another breakaway by Reigate took the score to 0-2. This set back finally stirred the Clarets into action but the goals would just not come. Meanwhile Frostie pulled off another great save in stopping a penalty flick heading for the top corner. Hats off to the goalkeepers in this match.

Report: Last Saturday the Clarets took part in an away league game against Hampstead & Westminister. Playing with half the squad gone walk about, on an astro pitch which needed the grass cut, against a very strong oppo, it was always going to be an uphill battle. On the plus side Phillip Sudell, brother of Peter and ex Cheam star player, was recruited from on site to make up the 11.

The first quarter went exceptionally well. Phillip was sweeping everything up at the back using his local knowledge. AT the other end the Cheam forwards came close on several occasions and for a while the unthinkable seemed possible. However, despite Craig Wilson's heroic performance in goal saving shots on the bounce coming from all directions eventually the home side got through and by half time were 3 goals to the good. After the interval the determined young guns from north London gradually overpowered the tiring but courageos Cheam side. The final 9-0 scoreline was no surprise but a little unfair given the effort made by the boys early on.