Season Opener

The Reading Relics (AKA Supervets) on arrival at the stunning new Amersham HC club house and pitch were surprised to be told that the season-opening match was in fact a serious trial for a place in the Relics squad for the 2018/19 season, with extensive electronic note taking & Go-Pro video footage being taken from the right wing everyone was keen to put their best foot forward.

Obviously those who stayed on to drink beers and be included in the attached Selfie have significantly enhanced their chances of selection but there will be extensive further fitness tests undertaken before the final squad is announced.

The skipper informed the team that since we were playing against a more mature Amersham Grand Masters team we should aim to play good early season possession hockey rather than trying to take the piss by scoring a fistful of goals and the team duly obliged - thanks mainly to missed opportunities in front of goal.

We played the new international format of 4 x 15 minute sessions to ensure Pelly believed he was still in Gold Winning England Masters territory and we improved each quarter as the game progressed and finished playing some very fluent hockey with Moaty and Simon C showing us their natural positions are in the forward line rather than in defence.

Everyone except Mark Boothroyd (upgraded from the "sieve" to the "saucepan" on the back of a fine clean sheet) and Micky played in at least two different positions during the game and on a warm September 1st afternoon it proved to be a very satisfactory season opener.

Some fine macaroni cheeses and Rebellion beer ensured we all went home happy!

Thanks to Mike "the Relic" Gray for umpiring so well and to Amersham for being very good hosts.

NB. MARK BRAD MOATY PELLY PAXO MIKE S MATT "Jimmy Somerville" L SIMON C GAVIN JONNY D - many thanks for coming to the first trial game - we'll get back to you with a full analysis of your game, level of fitness and likelihood of becoming a full blown Relic.

Game on

Micky