8 Goal Thriller!!

Drizzle, moderate winds and sub 10 degree-weather graced the Jubilee Hockey Stadium as Henley HC took on National League-hopefulls Oxford Hawks.

The team sheets came in and Interim Manager Ian Heggie had gone largely with stability, however some eyebrows where raised when Jeff Goseph was a surprise inclusion in the match day squad. Goseph had continually been linked with a January loan move to Wallingford 3rd XI, however the word out of Wallingford was that personal terms had stopped the deal going ahead. Yet more questions asked then of interim manager Heggie and his approach to transfers.

The game began in a chess match manner, with each side working out their opposite men. Hawks approach of patient/ineffective transferring of the ball round the back led to a mundane start to the game. Things soon changed as Henley HC’s very own headband-wearing Ed Hughes Burne wowed the capacity crowd with his inch-perfect pinpoint passing…. straight to the Oxford Hawks centre forward, who had just goal difference management sieve Roy Cox to beat. 0-1.

Henley re-grouped and started to pass the ball to all corners and utilise their counter attack, which like Manchester United circa 2008, have become so well known for. With Henley looking menacing and an equalising goal looking imminent, enter Roy Cox. Hawks were awarded a dubious short corner, which Cox dealt with superbly, shepherding the ball into the bottom corner. The customary sequence of the ball hitting the backboard followed by a groan from Cox signalled 0-2.

As Henley looked to control the situation, midfield dynamo Benji Hetherington slotted into an uncustomary inside right position, where he played an inch perfect speculative ball to Ed Foster who neatly tucked the ball under his arm to Luke Gupta. Dispatched, 1-2.

Half time fell with Henley understandably disappointed in the manner of the goals conceded but were encouraged by the fact that the Hawks back 4 were good at passing it to each other under no pressure, but showed little desire to play forwards.

As the second half began it was clear Interim Manager Ian Heggie’s team talk hadn’t been taken on board, as Henley started to play some lovely patterns of actual hockey. Another passing move complete and open goal specialist Tom Walter was hacked down outside the box by Hawks’ fledgling goalkeeper. There were sighs of relief from the Hawks bench as only a yellow card was produced for what was most definitely a red card offence. Possibly.

No place in this gentleman’s game for those antics and skipper Ed Foster was presented with what proved to be a difficult task of scoring a short corner despite Hawks having no keeper. After three weak attempts the umpire felt bad and decided to relieve Foster of the hardship and awarded Henley a penalty stroke for his valiant attempts. Joyce had the unenviable task of taking the flick with no keeper but coolly put away the chance to make it 2-2. Game on.

Hawks defence then decided to play an unpadded player in net, which was an interesting decision. Henley then carved through the midfield and defence like a boat hull through the ocean. Whammy specialist Chris Green danced passed the Hawks defence and presented himself with the chance to dispatch one of his customary whammys, which he has become so feared for throughout Middlesex, Buckingham, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Yet at the trigger pulling moment Green paused. The ground fell silent; fans waited; Heggie winced, as Green rolled weak and elegantly fired home an upright old skool reverse. Pure silence descended on Jubilee Park. As a result, multiple Player of the Season Ross Hibberd had to be stretchered off the pitch with a sever case of gobsmack. We all wish him a speedy recovery.

Henley finally got themselves into the position they deserved and quickly made about eradicating the 1 goal cushion they had spent 50 minutes claiming. After 19 short corners in a row, Hawks finally decided the best thing to do was try shooting at goal as that’s where Henley’s weakness was. 3-3.

With Heggie sensing a win was there for the taking, some tactical changes where made. Surprise match day inclusion Jeff Goseph started to take up his customary menacing positions… on the bench. David Ralph came on and continued his rich run of ‘doing alright’. The game was set for a cracking finish. The capacity crowd rarely touched their seats as Henley pressed hard for a winner as Hawks nervously chucked the ball long at all times. Oddly this pleased the Hawks coaching staff and bench.

As another Hawks aerial was inches from bouncing off the end the pitch, a speculative flash at the unwanted possession exposed Cox, as the ball awkwardly slipped between his legs to an unmarked trio of Hawks players on the back post. 3-4.

In the early season this would have spelt the end for Henley but with new 2016 focus and ambition the home side regrouped and pressed on. Joyce took control of the tactics from centre field and ordered Cox off the pitch. Some saw this as tactical move to remove the worst player on the pitch; others thought this was to introduce an extra out field player. What we do know is this wasn’t the work of Interim Manager Heggie.

A searching ball from dual national David Ralph found a blatant foot in the Hawks D. The pressure was seemingly on Gupta but as the ball was rolled into him from Skipper Ed Foster, he banished the doubters and neatly slapped the ball firmly into the backboard. 4-4.

GAME END

Overall a good result for Henley to take a point away from a side 3rd in the table, and belief continues to grow at Jubilee Park for a side ready to compete for the coveted 6th spot in South Premier League. Next week it’s Havant away for the Jubilee dreamers.

Richard Woolfrey, sometime-National League goal machine and assistant to the regional board of supports trust, had this to say when questioned:

1. Has the full time managers’ position been filled? We are just taking one game at a time, and don't want to be drawn into this. Our focus is on the Havant game. Despite reports in the paper, our coach Rhys Joyce has not met with any third parties.

2. What of Heggie’s transfer tactics in the January window? We feel we have a squad that can be competitive at this level. Funds are available to the Interim, but he wasn't able to use them in the recent window. We understand he has booked a tour of the 'north' this summer to locate some new talent. Target areas in include a less minty keeper and a striker that can stop the ball.

3. Should a side 9th in the league be playing 3 at the back? Bravery starts at the back. We feel our defence has age and speed on their side to deal with any strikers in this league. An extra defender would simply get in the way of one the 'last ditch diving tackles' the 2 Robs often make. Both have admitted these are unnecessary, but believe the crowd likes to see it.

Parting comments; The interim has our vote of confidence. There is no finer bib washer/ball monitor in the south. Once we get clearance from his parole officer, we will be looking to offer him a more permanent position.

Meanwhile, serial Oxford Hawks hater and former Abingdon goal machine/teenage sensation Jonny Taylor had this to say about the result.

“Its nice to see a small club like Henley competing with a big club like Oxford Hawks”.