Dodie out for a year

Dodie Khurshid is out of action for a year after fracturing both his femur and his tibia in his right leg during the second half of the 2nd XI game against Old Midwhitgiftians on Saturday.

Dodie stumbled and sustained the damage as he sought to regain his balance. He was taken to Kingston Hospital where he was diagnosed with a pulled muscle, ligamental damage and a fracture in the knee joint. “It’s too painful to assess precisely the extent of it,” he said at the time. “Cheery place hospitals, aren't they?”

But scans revealed more damage and on Thursday he was told that he needed reconstructive surgery which he will undergo next week.

He will be unable to put any weight on his leg for three months and cannot consider playing sports for another nine months after that. "I wasn't sure the news could get any worse until he said I couldn't fly out to Abu Dhabi for Christmas," he said. "Someone bring me a beer. Now."

We wish him well for the operation and look forward to seeing him back at TD soon where the beers will be on us for a while to come.

2nd XI secure Open League title

2nd XI 2-0 Surbiton
Match photos
In almost summer-like sunshine, the season finally ended with a 2-0 win over Surbiton for the 2nd XI, a result which gave us the Surrey Open League Premier Division title as well as promotion into what is now Surrey Division (although what it will be once the post-season-reshuffle dust settles nobody knows).

We started knowing we had to win to sneak past Old Whitgiftians for the first time all season, and with only Will Stephens missing from the usual line-up and a Surbiton side who were bottom, we were confident. Perhaps too much so. For the first 15 minutes we were dreadful, off the pace, not pressurising the opposition and looking as if we would struggle.

James Robson was called on to make a couple of saves as well as a timely interception, while at the other end we started producing shots but not on target. We gained a few shorts without threatening off any of them, while with Pies, making a welcome return for Surbiton, was always a danger as he sucked in defenders. Fortunately, he was left with little support, although he managed to earn a frustrated/bewildered Andy Duff a green card early on from a novice umpire.

Ten minutes before the break we got the breakthrough, Rob Merry rifling in an absolute bullet across the keeper from the right-side of the D. Rarely can he have hit the ball harder.

That settled us, and for the second half we controlled the game, with Robson’s only significant role being to earn a green card for abusing the distant umpire for a decision at the other end of the pitch.

Duff and Jon Heard dominated the defence, Duff even making a very rare surging run the length of the pitch, while the Merrys showed the good form they have been in all year. Chris Porter played as only he can – brilliant at times, combatitive at others, and happy to argue with players from either side. He was for once the innocent party when he accidentally clipped a defender in the face with his stick only be hauled off by Surbiton’s diminutive No. 10, who was clearly spoiling for a fight, as he bent over the prone player to apologise.

We could have had half a dozen, and Duncan Mottram deserved a goal for all his hard work but with only the keeper to beat, he undercut straight into his helmet for the least intentional save of the day. Minutes later the defence was finally stretched too far and Paul Acutt slammed the ball home after finding himself in acres of space in a move which started with a double foul from Duff on Pies which left him spreadeagled on the ground.

The rest was fairly unthreatening. Ed Breton, after a quiet first half, ended the season in the hustling, bustling, battling way he approaches every game (as well as the post-match BBQ), Neil Grimes carved holes in the right side of the Surbiton defence, and Dodie Khurshid briefly looked as if he might be on for his second goal in 19 seasons until David Knapp, taking a commanding/dictatorial touchline role, removed him from the fray. Preston Rutt looked in form until he received the most bewildering order of the day from Knapp who barked at him to “keep up” with Cookie.

The promotion secured, we enjoyed some champagne in the clubhouse and the celebrations went on late into the afternoon. It is quite possible Duff is still there.

The side deserved its success. We had only lost once all year - a miserable away day at Wanderers – and had taken eight points against the sides in second and third, with the two wins against them coming away from home. We undoubtedly benefited from the release of several stalwarts from the 1st XI but all blended in well and, crucially, it was an enjoyable season and a happy side. For that, Rob Merry deserves huge credit.

Match reports - January 31, 2009

The 1st XI continued their promotion bid with a 7-0 drubbing of Walton & Weybridge Hawks, while the 2nd XI battled to a 0-0 draw with UCL Academicals and the 4th XI drew with Barnes Beavers 2-2. The Ladies remained bottom of the league after another 0-1 loss, this time at Old Kingstonians, the 3rd XI crashed to a 1-8 rout at Leatherhead while the Veterans were well beaten 0-4 by Southgate

Walton & Weybridge 0-7 1st XI
One thing may cost us this season, lack of personal discipline. I do not only mean the bad tackles leading to a short corner and an equalising goal a few minutes from the end but the whole concept of our approach to the task in hand. This starts on a Wednesday night and turning up to training, to being sensible on a Friday night, respecting those in the team who are sensible and on match days to ensure we all meet on time as requested by the skipper. As soon as these things go wrong or are lacking the 70 minute game goes wrong.

Not only does it affect the rest of the team who are then affected by an unnecessary distraction but it winds up those who put in so much effort to pull together the team. There is then discord on the bench, wrong substitutions are made and the structure falls down with disharmony the product.

Fortunately this weekend's game was against a poor Walton and Weybridge side who put up little resistance with us scoring three in the first 15 minutes and four in the last 20. In between there was a sterile 35-minute patch with us taking the wrong decisions in crucial areas. The defence held firm as a unit with the back five including Trickster and the bulk of the midfield barely allowing the host side a sight on goal. The two Woods were especially effective and Cookiey could not be faulted for the amount of leg work he put in.

Gavin scored our first hat-trick of the season finishing his goals extremely well, Ed B scored two corners, Eds swept home a loose ball in the D and Chris Brewer notched his first for many years when picking up the pieces from our final corner. Up front we have to perhaps be a bit more selfish on occasions in the sense of having an early shot on occasions rather than teeing up a tap in.

This season will go down to the wire and ultimately the most disciplined side who gives no margin of error will win the league. There is no room for sloppy preparation "just because it is a side at the bottom" as we have to approach every game as if it is a cup final. Each team in our league has something to play for with the next season's change in the league structure and we will be kidding ourselves if we think we can just identify three or four games as key games that we have to win. Remember London University two seasons ago ... David Knapp

2nd XI 0-0 UCL Academicals
Given that we have have by far the best defence in the league but only two teams have scored fewer goals than us, you do not expect goalfests when we play. Allied to a defence that a couple of years ago would have been gracing the 1st XI - Robson, Heard, Stephens, Duff and Khurshid - then getting Stephens to buy a drink would be an easy steal. As it was, a draw was just about a fair result. We created only one half-chance and what some might claim was a shot in the entire game, while UCL managed a few shots but surprisingly decided on four three-on-ones that dribbling through Duff was the easy option. He made sweetly timed tackles on each occasion. UCL did have the ball in the goal only for the short-corner strike to be harshly disallowed. The decision did not justify the "f***ing cheat" comment aimed at the umpire by one of the UCL players and the refusal of most to shake hands. UCL, who share our ground, are a club we feel close to and who we spent the evening eating curry with.

Leatherhead 8-1 3rd XI
Not much to say. The consensus of the survivors drinking in the bar and downing some utterly vile Austrian Butterscotch paintstripper provided by Jock was that we deserved to lose but not by four goals. Preston netted our one goal although we gave up in the second half, Jock insisting that one of the Leatherhead goals was via a foot. That only left seven to account for ...

4th XI 2-2 Barnes Beavers
A great game all round with some well worked passing and strong team work - 2-2 probably being a fair result in the end. The highlights were Bertie Bance's two wonder dribble goals ... two slower-paced shots have never before crossed the line in one match - nice one Bertie.

Old Kingstonians 1-0 Ladies XI
We played Old Kingstonian’s this week and with OK’s also being towards the bottom end of the league we had hoped to take some points off them.

With a slightly depleted squad, as many people were away for the weekend, we started strong even though a number were playing out of position and Rossy P was still trying to navigate her way through traffic mayhem! However we were caught on the break in the first couple of minutes and a goal mouth scrabble led to OK’s taking an early lead – bugger, bugger and bugger! Sorry for the swearing but we didn’t deserve it!

With this we didn’t get downhearted but took the game to them. Our attacking play and determination to make the fifty-fifties meant we were controlling the game and getting opportunities on goal. Whilst this sometimes left us open to OK’s catching us on the break again, as most of us were up in their half, the defence of Tux, Lucy, Ros, Mez and Jax were able to cope and if not then Steph cleared any loose balls hard out to the sidelines. As we came into half time an OK’s forward decided tackling with a shoulder barge was the way forward (we were beginning to get under their skin) and promptly got a green card from their umps … only to be followed 2 minutes later by a yellow as Goalie (“I have never given a yellow before”) simply had no choice! Okay so now we had the advantage … but then someone blew the damn half time whistle, not helpful!

The player advantage didn’t last for long in the second half as she was back on in four minutes – I ask you! That said we continued our attacking play with good drives up the midfield by Viks, May, Anna and Niks which meant we had opportunities on goal but just couldn’t find the final touch. Snoops, Ems and Lucy continued to hassle the OKs forward line but as the ball glided across the goal mouth attempts to drive it home were dashed as the OKs keeper put in a last ditch save. Injuries meant that for a while Snoops had to play in defence but ‘Psycho’ and the rest of the defence were able to clear the shots on goal with Steph covering behind.

As the last two minutes came we kept pushing but it just wasn’t happening and the score line remained 1-0 to the end. A good game and certainly our determination to get ourselves out of the relegation battle is coming through – we just need to get some goals!!! Well played guys. Next game 10am @ home this Saturday – club support would be good if anyone has a spare morning! And lastly thanks to Goalster who has helped us out a lot this season – cheers. Helen Hawes

Veterans 0-5 Southgate
Report to follow.

Match reports - January 26, 2008

The 3rd XI enjoyed a rare winning outing with a 3-2 win at Camberley to lift themselves out of the relegation slots for the first time this season; the Ladies also battled to a gutsy 1-1 draw with second-placed Spencer; the 1st XI just about did enough to beat lowly Surrey OBs 2-1, the Veterans dragged themselves off the bottom with a 31- win over leaders St Albans; but there were defeats for the 2nd XI and the 4th XI.

Surrey OBs 1-2 1st XI
Well, we were poor and very lucky to come away with three points against a spirited but limited SOBS side and had the rub of all the umpiring decisions – a half season’s fortune in one go. As it is we are still very much in top with February our decisive month. A state of flux existed at 8.20 on Friday evening with the sudden unavailability of Bruce due to injury but luckily Adam Davies was available and at 16 was playing his first game of men’s hockey being home for an exeat weekend and slotted strait into Bruce’s position. Adam then proceeded to be man of the match and is a player that we should see playing at least at the highest club level.

The first 20 minutes did not give any indication of what was to come and with us playing the ball around and wide a number of chances were created and squandered with our short corner drill being woeful. The final 15 minutes of the half heralded the rot with too many long balls shooting off the edge and end of the pitch. Nevertheless the half time team chat sorted things out and five minutes into the second period good build up play followed by a defence splitting pass from the streamlined Cook enabled Knapp to roll the ball home. The lead should have been doubled by Knapp who proceeded to dumfound Preston by winning the 69 shirt for the rest of the season with a crass effort at goal. Chances came and went with Robbo a spectator which continued as we all watched the SOBS best player run unchallenged into our D and push the ball speculatively towards the goal for Robbo to be outwitted by Ed B and the scores were even. Eds C restored the lead with a short corner strike and we held out for an important but less than decisive win.
UCL are next up and play like we did for most of the game today and it will be goodnight nurse. Thank you Adam for playing and showing us how easy hockey can be when playing the simple and commercial options. David Knapp

2nd XI 2-3 Barnes
A cracking game which we lost but again showed the fighting spirit which has seen us turn in some good performances of late. We went two down ten minutes into the second half and that seemed to be that against a physically big and good Barnes side, and although we pulled one back, Barnes restored their two-goal lead with 15 remaining. Then the fun started, Chris Tiss, who had got under the opposition’s skin with his skills and mouth all day, scrambled a second – earning a green card for his yell of “Eat that” into the defender’s face – and we pressed hard and had we had a short-corner routine which involved being able to stop the ball might have grabbed a draw. Neil Grimes was immense in midfield and again Dodie and Heardy controlled the back like the old pros they are. The cry-off of the week comes from Chris Porter in an apology given to Tiss who was waiting to collect him from the station. Porter, if he is to be believed, had been up all night "with a lady" and was in no position to leave his flat because of exhaustion.

Camberley 2-3 3rd XI
The 3rd XI delivered a rock star performance taking a full three points away at Camberly with a hard fought 3-2 win. An early 10am start, damned cold and Tim Cook, our designated umpire, had forgotten his cards … it did not bode well. Starting with the low sun behind us, we moved the ball effectively albeit, slowly on occasions. Movement up our preferred left attacking flank was effective and a returning Chopper made a nuisance of himself for the Camberley defence. Strong marking at break downs and a good control of the game led to a short corner which deftly taken by Bruce, beating the advancing defenders, shelled home an excellent goal. The game continued with a more confident team and Rich L attacking up the right flank provided Bruce in the centre a range of options with his control of the centre of the field. An attack followed through and a strike into the D led to Dave L perfectly angling the ball in a cramped D past their keeper. This was also the first time that we had gone two goals ahead all season. Camberley started to find their rhythm and on an attack, some poor tackling led to a lapse in attention and from a dead ball, they scored.

Half time came and a usual inspiration of a team talk followed. A slight line-up change of Rich L going up front as proving successful last week started the second half by pushing up higher. The tactical problem we had was that their attack was also pushing high creating a gulf in the centre of the field. Both sides attacked and counter attacked. Tim had to have a chat with the captains although slightly more directed at the opposition as we are all good chaps! The short resulted from one attack and a slip from Bruce to Preston, flicking it past the keeper it still required Chopper to glance it into the goal to take it to 3-1.

Camberley came back with several attacks and from a short corner, we became overloaded and Camberley had an open attack and scored. With five minutes remaining, Camberley loaded the pressure however what many have described as the heroic moment of the season and others as the moment they were standing amongst giants, a fighting defence became exposed and with the keeper caught in no mans land, a ball slipped past without question on its way to the back board, Armo slid past the Camberley striker and cleared the ball off the line to keep the team in with a shout (Guess who write this report …). In what remained of the two minutes, Camberley narrowly missed an equalising opportunity but the force was with us for arguably the first time in two years. Man of the match, Armo (not bad that, nominating yourself!) but a team effort, three points and a safety out of recession. James “Modesty” Armitage

Ladies 1-1 Spencer II
An early start after a week off saw us playing second-placed Spencer II at home. We had been one of the only teams to take points off them this season, holding them to a draw before Christmas, and inevitably both teams wanted to take the full points this time around, us to move up the table and them to sustain their position at the top. It was always going to be an eventful match.

Both sides started well, us against the sun after having lost the toss. The first 15 minutes saw good attempts coming from both ends a couple of penalty corners each and on 20 minutes Spencer manager to lift one into the net over keeper Katy who had just made a terrific save on the floor. We continued to pile the pressure onto the Spencer defence our forwards of Caz, and May doing an excellent job of closing down their defenders and driving the ball up and into the Spencer area but to no avail and we went into half time 1-0 down.

The second half was far more eventful. Our oranges at half time especially prepared by coach Mott obviously gave us the extra boost we needed. Going out hard, the midfield of Vikki, Nina, Jax and Sarah H were working harder than ever with some good movement, one touches and passing around and up to the forwards. We had several close calls, a ball chipped over the cross bar, Jax and Caz managing to get on the end of excellent crosses into the Spencer circle by May (Carl Lewis) Evans and Nina (Mike Tyson) Sutton, but just cleared wide of the goal by the Spencer keeper. Eventually our hard work, determination and perseverance paid off as an intercepted ball was passed into Vikki (silky skills) Mottram who moved the ball around her Spencer defender and 'melted' the ball into the goal. 1-1. We kept the pressure on and just shortly after our levelling goal, Caz (Wayne Rooney) Hall found herself racing the Spencer keeper towards a loose ball on the edge of the circle. The two collided and ended up in a skirmish before the keeper booted the ball away - but from outside of the D. She was yellow carded and sent off while the match was put on hold as another Spencer player kitted up. We were determined to capitalise on Spencer having one less player on the pitch and a sub keeper in goal but in true OC fashion we probably played better when they had 11 players on the pitch! We tried not to let the break in play interrupt our flow but inevitably it did. We conceded several short corners which our rock solid defence of Rossie P, Mez, Tux and Muriel as ever defended well and Katy in goal was called upon to make a couple of saves. Tempers had been rising through out the match and eventually a Spencer player snapped and Nina found herself on the end of the girl’s fist! Neither umpire saw the punch and play continued until it was time for the Spencer keeper to come back on again so with six minutes left to go, play stopped again while she kitted up. The game finished 1-1 all a great game by our ladies and we were unfortunate not to get another goal. Jax Joyce

Match reports - January 19, 2008

The 1st XI overcame a limited Addiscombe side 6-3 to maintain their outside chances of promotion, but the performance of the day came from the 2nd XI who finally clicked as we knew they would and beat league leaders Woking 4-1 away from home. The 3rd XI secured a good 3-3 draw at the delight that is Kennington, the 4th XI played well in losing 1-2 to Staines, and the Vets secured only their third win of the season with a 1-0 victory at HAC.

1st XI 6-3 Addiscombe
This was a potential banana skin against an Addiscombe team who have had a good season up to this point. The game saw Cooky play by far and away the best he has played all season and it was his intervention in the second minute that won a long corner that became a short and then a goal with Rippers coolly slotting home the loose bal. Nick Lewis doubled the lead with the shot of the season, Cook again making a nuisance of himself in front of the keeper , the ball breaking to Nick at the top of the D who put the ball into the top corner with a blistering shot. The remainder of the half saw us dominate without creating any chances and we lost our shape when Ed Breton went of with a knock on his hand.

Addiscombe were back in the game in the early stages of the second half but straight away we regained the two-goal cushion. Sven increased the margin with a drag flicked short, the first of two with, in between times, Addiscombe scoring a soft short corner. Rippers scored his second after a great move down the right and there was just time for the opposition to score a consolation with another short corner in stoppage time.

The two big pluses were the performances of Nick Lewis and Cooky with the downside the concession of three soft goals. Unquestionably we had the rub of the umpiring especially early on and we made it count. Surry Old Boys next week and then UCL and Merton after which we will know whether we have a long wait until September or have a chance to be in the mix. Rex Bermon

Woking 1-4 2nd XI
On paper this game was a formality. We had taken on point away from home all season whereas Woking, the league leaders, were unbeaten at home and had not lost anywhere since early October. On a pitch which made our old one look slick and sandless, the early exchanges were tight and the pace quick. But whereas we made inroads, Woking’s attacks foundered against the rocks of Dodie Khurshid and Jon Heard. We took the lead on 15 minutes from a short corner, fiercely disputed by the defence who claimed to their own umpire that they were not ready. Neither side created many openings in the reminder of the half, but Woking’s concern was evident from the length of their half-time chat. “We’re top, they’re crap but that doesn’t matter if we carry on playing like this,” were the last words shouted to them at the break.

The second half was equally pacey but the better attacks came from us with a hole in Woking’s midfield being repeatedly ripped open. We had some nervous moments and Woking were enjoying their best period when we broke and struck the second. We could have extended the lead but Bruce hit the post and then a short corner was cleared off the line; at the other end Nigel made some good saves and the defence remained solid. Five minutes from time we again broke and made it 3-0, only for Woking to run right through a dozing midfield and pull one back within 20 seconds. The ball was in our half for the next few minutes as Woking threw the kitchen sink at us, but from another break we sealed a convincing win with the last strike of the match.

Martha Hope Khurshid

Congratulations to Dodie and Lydia Khurshid on the birth of the third child, Martha Hope, on February 26. The latest addition to the 2024 Ladies XI weighed in dead on 8lbs.

AGM held ,,, and apathy rules

The AGM of the club took place at a packed Thames Ditton (!) where a number of issues were resolved and an even greater number deferred until the new committee's first meeting.

The good news was that after the disastrous losses sustained in the 1998-99 season, this time round the club managed a small surplus. This was attributable to a mild winter, with no matches cancelled, and tighter financial controls.

It was agreed that more had to be done next season to ensure that there was interchange between the sides; it was clear that we have fallen down on this of late and that in several instances players who have been dropped (usually through too many 'regulars' being available) have not been fielded by the next side down.

What they get up to in the summer with no hockey to play No.1 : Robin Leggett
The matter of umpires caused some consternation, with fewer individuals prepared to commit to officiating. There appears to be no real answer to this, although the 'you umpire my game and I'll umpire yours' approach may work for the lower sides.

The officials were elected largely unchanged (click here for full list). Simon Marshall stood down as Hon Secretary after several years of loyal service and was replaced by a genuine hockey player, Dodie Khurshid. Also, in a coup Nigel Fearnley stage-managed a political manouvre which would have done New Labour proud to oust Hamish Gowen as 4th XI vice-captain.

# The threat of expulsion from the league hanging over the 2nd XI has been lifted with the news that the punishment, which was levied as a result of our failure to pay a fine, has been deferred for 12 months.

# Congratulations to Danny Prior who successfully completed the London Marathon in a respectable time and raised over £3,000 into the bargain. Those of us who have played on the same pitch as Danny find it astounding that he ever broke into a trot, but well done anyway. The whereabouts of the other entrant, Tim 'this really is the last time' Nelligan, is unknown.a penalty-flick in the first-half. We await the league enquiry!