Out of orbit, warp drive and launch control

Men’s 3s – but not as we know it ,  Out of orbit, warp drive and launch control

Men’s 3 had a two big games this weekend to continue their quest to the top of the table.

With Captain Tom Beale missing Saturday , and a few changes in the line-up,  Greg Hilton stepped up to lead the Men’s 3’s away game against Boston spa.  A challenging away fixture as Boston were  3rd in the league.  As we travelled to the game in record time, some even at warp speed (Horsey’s car).  Fresh face’s back in the squad Luke Taylor , Charlie Sutton and Paddy Haywood .

With Will Powley leading the team in the warm-up, the whistle went and Adel started with determination and a good press,  Luke Taylor (aka GOAT) commanding the right side of the pitch with Bostan having to reply to use their secret weapon…. aerials, causing some damage with our back line stretched to the max with Mark Richards protecting our goal continually rocketing balls out of our D , until disaster struck and one of the rockets hit Greg smack bang on the knee.

With a tactical choice of placing Richard Foster into the back line to provide more experience and  ball retention and Simon littler as an outlet, Adel began to have success on the left wing breaking down Boston’s force field of brutish middle aged men. The Boston bombardment  of aerials continued. Half time score. 1-nil.

With the Coach making some half time changes and tactics seeing Will Powley playing centre back, Mark Richards on the right and  a new centre midfield partnership Paddy Heywood , Greg Hilton and utility player Tom Gabbo as top diamond, another new position and Dave Matterson in the forward line.  Adel began to command the pitch. Boston continued with their aerials only this half Adel had a reply, with Will Powley sending the ball into orbit the umpire commenting ‘I think that has ice on it!’. Some amazing team play continued with Joe Grier combatting some particularly good flat stick tacklers with 3D skills grabbing 2 goals one spectacular reverse stick comet into the goal. Charlie Sutton showing some serious skills with a missile to the near post, beginning a new found partnership with experienced striker Paul Horsey 3-1.  Amazing work in the centre midfield with Greg Hilton holding the middle (because of his knee) paired with the continuous running of Paddy Heywood led to Tom Gabbo pushing into the D pushing the ball towards the goal at a velocity of absolute zero , everyone watched, and watched, and watched…… , spoiler it went in eventually. Gabbo tried to score to make it 6 only to be denied by the umpire as the first goal was too embarrassing.  Final score Saturday 5-1 . Amazing fish and chips to celebrate.

Sundays memorial game in honour of Greg Hilton found Adel travel to York (to play their 7s) with some more changes to the squad with the return of Iain Mitchell and Kieran Herbert. Major road works and an extremely long diversion with the team questioning ‘why didn’t we set off earlier’  with Iain Mitchell (‘the pilot’) using the opportunity to show off  and use his new ‘launch control mode’.

Having arrived at the venue a bare 9 planned nervously their starting line-up whilst waiting for more players. Luckily with negotiations the coach arranged for a delayed start, with Fozzie and Captain Beale arriving just in time for the push back of 16 minutes past 3. Thank you umpires. This flustered start found it difficult for Adel to pick up momentum. However, tireless work from the midfield distributing the ball and causing mayhem started to pay off, but York were relentless and continued to be dominant in the middle of the pitch. A few chances by Adel but non converted. Continuous saves by Keeper Sholto Rowe to try and keep York at bay.  Half-time score 2-nil to York.

A more attacking formation change and another new position for Tom Gabbo as bottom diamond and midfield partnership with Will Powley as top, removing a midfielder for a forward.  Adel started to keep position of the ball. Fozzies and Tom Beales dominance on the left gave Iain  more space and the freedom to attack and run at their defence with a lot of success. However, they had bonded that much that holding hands prevented them stopping an aerial.  We knew there were goals to come and especially as Paul horsey hadn’t scored the previous day something was coming……… Sonic Boom, the ball crossed the edge of the D mid-air Horsey took one touch and hit the back of the net top corner. Three more Horsey classics came with assists by Joe Grier, Jackson, Powley, Beale. With Gabbo switching the ball (when it was passed to him), Maybe if he wore a Adel shirt this type of thing wouldn’t happen?  Keiran making amazing tackles at the back to maintain our lead. Continued dominance saw Adel be awarded a short corner, Fozzie to drag out , with Will Powley to drag flick the ball into the top right corner. Final score 5-1.

report by Clare Hesselwood