Don’t forget Elaine’s shop is open for a further two weeks. Get your Bandits dressing gowns and PJs in readiness for the touring season. After Elaine closes for the summer if there is any gear left you might be able to get it from Laz.

Claimed shirt numbers are being posted on the bandits page. Post a comment or send an e-mail to bandits@RHC or to Laz or Popey, or post in the Facebook group to claim your number and get added to the list.

(well done to bandits squad who competed in this years side, o well there’s always next year!)

odders x

Marriots shoulder went along with her blonde hair
Dunc brown turned up with moments to spare
But the game did commence with a tired start
Bandits looked like they’d lost their heart

Woking knocked one in without much skill
and another one followed, Bandits still at Nill.
But with game faces back on and a sharp attack
Posh roofed the net to get one back

Just before half time, Bandits stepped up the gear
but for a genius keeper who kept Woking clear
Our defence however, not be out classed
saw Timbo dive and save a deflection past

The second half started with worries diminshed
and a ping pong pass movement Posh nicely finished.
Bandits maintained possesion for a while
and not before long Dunc hit the backboard in style

3-2 kicked Woking into wanting more
and ruddy number seven leveled the score
Several shoulder chargers later and Spag got a yellow
down to 10 and Bandits short of a fellow

Luckily Brian started playing in every position
and tired legs were shown by the opposition
Then the Badger feel on her arse
and Posh decided not to pass

Extra time with the game tied at 3-3 each way
11 back on till we got a 2nd card of the day
the ump was possibly ‘aving a laugh?’
Woking got a goal, before the end of the half

4-3 down and a minute to go
Bandits courage started to show
A driving run down the left and Oj was clear
a one handed wonder goal gave all a cheer
Penalties and each team scored their flick
Then Posh made it 2-1 for his hat trick
Laz made a fabulous save and Kiff scored
They missed the 3rd and the Bandits roared!

Well done to all
Odders x

Next Game: 18th February- Details TBC

I am organising a tour to the 25th AFNORTH International Hockey Festival
held in Brunssum, south Holland. It is a 7 a side format and I am looking at
taking a mens and womens team in squads of 10-12 players.

The Itinerary Is As Follows

Depart RAF Odiham 1900hrs Thursday 3rd May
Arrive @ AFNORTH Pitches 0600 hrs Friday 4th May
Begin Tournament @ 0900 hrs Saturday 5th May
Cease tournament 1800 hrs Sunday 6th May
Return To RAF Odiham 1800 hrs Monday 7th May

We will be travelling in two coaches with teams from RAF Odiham, MOD
Boscombe Down and The Stanmore sharks. The cost will be around 40 pounds per
player and that covers entry fee, travel and food.

There is Fancy Dress on the Friday night theme to be discussed later on,
Saturday night there is a hog roast and live band, the clubhouse bar doesnt
shut throughout the tournament.

Accomodation is camping around the pitches.

All interest parties should contact me via email or at the clubhouse, it is
a fantastic tournament and the hosting and organisation is second to none.

Cheers

Tim “Timbo” Bruinsma

The Bandits nearly failed in a key part of the preparation of elite touring athletes when they were nearly unable to transport their takeaway back to base. Everyone know that tours are arduous events and preparation is key. As Posh arrived last on Friday her was instructed to venture forth and not return until he had acquired enough chips from the chippie to keep us all in peak condition. For some reason Popey went with him, soon to wish she hadn’t as he proceeded to navigate the byways of Woodley as though in a F1 grand prix. Having easily won the prize for seeing who can create the biggest queue in a fish and chip shop as the might Bandits’ order went on and on, winning a free bottle of lemonade in the process, our two nutritional experts prepared to return to base only to find that Hans refused to start.

After feasting well the Bandits hit the party in some style. Purple nasty was consumed and Vodka shots were partaken and some serious whiplash injuries were gained head banging to the fantastic music on the dance floor.

Saturday dawned bright and far too early. However the largest bacon, egg and sausage stuffed baguettes with a side of Dairy Milk ever soon revived spirits and was soon to be crowned the breakfast of champions The Bandits somehow made it to their 9.30am game on time and proceeded to score a goal, fail to score any others but failed also to concede. Repeat for the rest of the day bar one game that we drew and you pretty much have the story of Day 1.

Confidence was very high.

Posh even scored all the goals as he revved into sharp shooter mode. Either he was a) on fire and the best centre forward on view that day b) refusing to pass to anyone else ANYWHERE IN THE REMOTE VICINITY OF THE D!!!!!!!!

Saturday night was costume night and this year’s theme was England v Germany. The guys went as hooligans, we think, it might just have been their usual Saturday night out on the town outfit. Apart from Duncan who went as David Hasslehoff. The girls went as FIFA 2006 referees complete with colour coded cards and England cowboy hats:

Red: Minger
Yellow: Alright but will regret it in the daylight
Green: Hi Gorgeous
Blue: My tent now studmuffin

There was another great band on for the evening and the music was fantastic. You couldn’t have prised us off that dance floor with a crow bar. The Bandits were also pleased to be bolstered by some half time subs as Amy, Rob and Tim made it out. The Bandits also managed to make it over to the club in full Bandits formation to wish former Bandit Rod Harling a fond farewell on his depature to Scotland.

Overall rating for the evening’s talent was probably a yellow but that didn’t stop Becky and Kate “Who?” Mansur having a go, until good tase prevailed and they managed to find their way back to Bandits HQ. Mansur wasn’t wearing her own clothes but that’s a minor point.

Having been so successful the day before we were rewarded with a lie in. A few of us weren’t feeling that great and so we all suspected Salmonella from the 1Kg bar of Dairy Milk consumed the day before. Can’t think what else it might have been…. We now faced two games in order to progress to the semi-finals. We negotiated the first thanks to, yes you’ve guessed it a single goal, and a fine save from Barry in goal without even moving from his deckchair. In the second pool game of the day Popey unleashed her terminator side and decided to stop loitering on the left week and lashed in a goal to take us through to the semi-final. With the England game just around the corner the semi-final was brought forward but there was just time for a little PTI training from Tim and Laz to get us in the mood. Tim’s fitness leotard is sure to be a sure fire hit when it hits stores this autumn. If last year’s must have pro athlete accessory was a Canterbury Armour Fit base layer then this season’s look is almost certainly going to see the addition of the thong support leotard to any self respecting hockey player’s wardrobe. It makes press ups a breeze.

Posh not really enjoying Popey threatening to steal his goal scoring crown lashed in another screamer in the semi and Rob Brown seemed undecided about what to do in front of goal but eventually scored with a cheeky little flick. 7 teams down and one team left to go. Unfortunately they were quite good so the Bandits went of and had a word with themselves and put on some serious game face to face West Campstead in the final. It was a surprisingly good game for grass hockey with both teams playing some good fast counter attacking stuff but West Campstead couldn’t succeed where others had failed and find a way past the mighty Dukes, Sumo and Dom at the back. After the attack had pussy footed around for a while it was left to Popey to convert a short corner on the stroke of half time and score the goal that ultimately settled the game. Even the bizarre sight of Laz appearing at centre forward for the last 5 minutes, effectively reducing the Bandits to 10 men, failed to prevent them marching on to yet another summer title.

The final tour of the season is Riverside 12th/13th August. This will be Kate “Who” Mansur’s last before leaving the club for Spain. No doubt the Bandits will find a way of giving her a fine send off…..

A relaxed and chilled BBQ on Friday evening so the Bandits advance party established base camp by the banks of the river and enjoyed some quality Salmon and Chicken, then a whole melange of fruit for dessert. If only the fruit hadn’t been deeply embedded in liquours we might have felt OK on Saturday morning.

Still the Bandits mixed side made a confident start to proceeedings in the morning and ended up managing to win all their group games becoming a goal scoring machine (always helpful when teams don’t have a keeper). This competitive oversight meant that we were through to the mixed semis and from there through to the final. This was a bit of a problem as it cut quite heavily into our going to the pub to watch the football time. Having won the final against English Chess we found ourselves winner in the awesome winners position of being winners champions. We donated half our beer prize to our opponents and challenged them to a game of cannage which Posh lost. Again.

It was a blazing 30 degree day in lovely Hampshire so there was only one thing for it after such a hard days hockeying – yes a dip in the river. We plunged straight in, had an impromptu game of volleyball and then swam back down to base camp all the way followed by girly sqeals of “WEEDS!!!!!”

Saturday evening saw another lovely BBQ whipped up by Laz preparing us suitably for a Wibbly Wobbly challenge, which we lost, and a game of rounders using a cricket stump and four chairs. By this point we decided it was time to make the evening;s entertainment less of an end of wedding disco and more of a serious party, hitting that dance floor in winners style and throwing up some serious grooves, and some serious sounds thanks to Johnny D’s karaoke slot.

I am not sure what happened next.

Sunday dawned bright and fair and loaded up on bacon and sausage sarnies we proceeded to the single sex tournaments with winners confidence high. The boys made a great start and shot themselves in the foot by raising the girls’ expectations with a high tempo and dynamic display of winners hockey. It was a winenrs performance that would prove to take them all the way through to the final, raising hopes of a clean sweep given the girls’ fine Fordingbridge winenrs form in recent years. However it was not to be as with only four teams in their pool a single mistake could cost the girls and they made it in their hangover induced first game when they lost to English Chess. They weren’t able to recover and missed out on a semi place by a single goal.

Still important cheerleading duties were required to nurse the tiring and banged up winners boys through the latter stages of their tournament which they ended up winning. So as Meatloaf would say 2 out of 3 ain’t bad… well yes it is actually because we wanted to be winners!!

Onwards and upwards. Sonning awaits. More Chester and some Fordingbridge photos up soon….

So the ladies did well reaching the final of both the 6-aside and the 11-aside but losing both on flicks (dejs-vu). I hear Random’s was magnificant though.

The men reached the semis at both 6-aside and 11-aside.

Better still we won the Most Sociable Team Award for the second year running.

Photos are now in the gallery courtesy of Mr Johnny Downer. Any more then e-mail them to me or to the dropbox. Any more news and particularly any gossip – add it to the comments!

Next stop Fordingbridge…

Photos

Click on the image below to go to the Bandits @ Chester Photo Gallery.