This week's fixtures & results League II (winter 2009/2010)

ha! nice write up though. kinda reminds me of Cormac McCarthy. hahaha

My notes are pretty scrawled for the next couple of minutes, I assume this is because BR are fighting hard to try and get a win in the last game, legible elements include BR's Matt hitting Cosmic Matt with a failed FloorSlam™, "wild shotz", "Dan almost" a few times, "Todd almost" a couple of times. "failed pass", "too much dribbling", etc. My notes regroup with Dan and Todd T-boning each other, Dan manages to stay up with his "hoppy, hoppy" tricks, Todd's down.

Superb! HA HA

ha! nice write up though. kinda reminds me of Cormac McCarthy. hahaha

really? Where was the spanish? Maybe rik could add a few bits of dialogue to it.

Nice work Cosmic!

ha! shut it chukker. :D

ha! shut it chukker. :D

That comment had nothing to do with you, sir. It was directed only at contending teams.

That comment had nothing to do with you, sir. It was directed only at contending teams.

... but that one did!
:)

hahaha! 'kay then. as you were. cosmic were on top form sunday.

Yo Polonium - unless I'm being a plank, did we organise to play on Thursday?
I think the post must've gotten lost with the server crash…

if so what time?
if not, can we?

Thursday is on :) what time is good for you guys?

Sunday 8th November // 3 Beards vs. Polo Fiasco // Downham

3 Beards - 5
Polo Fiasco - 2

3 Beards // Bill - 1:35
Polo Fiasco // Josh - 5:00
3 Beards // Mark - 6:58
3 Beards // Bill - 7:28
Polo Fiasco // Tony - 7:45
3 Beards // Bill - 8:15
3 Beards // Rupert - 9:05

3 Beards - 5
Polo Fiasco - 1

3 Beards // Mark - 0:15
3 Beards // Rupert - 1:10
3 Beards // Mark - 1:56
3 Beards // Rupert - 4:05
Polo Fiasco // Tony - 5:58
3 Beards // Bill - 8:05

3 Beards - 5
Polo Fiasco - 2

Polo Fiasco // Josh - 0:12
3 Beards // Rupert - 2:05
3 Beards // Bill - 2:58
3 Beards // Rupert - 3:23
Polo Fiasco // Josh - 7:57
3 Beards // Bill - 8:11
3 Beards // Bill - 8:38

Not much of a writer I'm afraid, but, with hurried scrawlings that would make any doctor proud, the highlights I noted from each game are as follows…

Game 1
Both teams start the game with real vigour, lots of movement about the court, Bill is doing well at holding the ball close.
An unlucky defensive error by Adrienne lets Bill in at 1:35 to get 3 Beards' first goal.
2:55, a thunderous slapshot from Snoops hits Tony's wheel making a satisfying noise.
3:40, a beautiful reverse pass from Josh puts Tony through to the 3 Beards goal but he was unable to finish
4:30, a mallet hack from Bill fails to upset Adrienne
4:50, Snoops slips and crashes on the slick ground which allows Fiasco to break and score their first goal.
3 Beards look to settle into the game with good possessional play and excellent passing.

Game 2
Snoops was very quick on the charge, Mark followed in behind and grabbed an early lead for the Beards.
Both teams seem to have upped the aggression and the game starts to get 'interesting'
3 Beards start to slot the goals home and it seems like it's going to be a very quick finish.
An attempted 'Seattle' by Bill at 3:45 fails to get the desired results.
Both teams seem like they really want this one
At 6:50 when Fiasco are attacking Mark steps in and cuts them short with a great, reaching, defensive swipe.
The game ends up "lasting for aaages" in the words of Mark, I think he probably thought it was in the bag when they were 4-0 up after 4 minutes.
Good game!

Game 3
I used Bill's trick of pausing after the "1" in the countdown and caught both teams out. Then when I counted the 2nd game in, I hadn't noticed that Josh had a problem with his wheel. Beards agreed to re-spot. Cue a third re-start and a wheel fail from Snoops on the charge allows Josh in to score a quick first opener.
At 3:23, Snoops makes a great breakaway, which neither Josh or Tony can catch, to slot home Beards' 3rd goal of the game.
4:40, a great diagonal shot from Tony ricochets off the post and at 5:10 a shot under the BB from Snoops does the same.
6:40, another 'Seattle' attempt from Bill this time unbalances Adrienne but no goal comes from it.
7:10, Adrienne makes a strong move up the right wing with Bill in chase, Mark shouts "Get the ball!" - Bill wails in return "I CAN'T!"
A mirror of Tony's shot from Josh just before 8 minutes gets their 2nd but Bill's quick responses in the next 40 seconds or so puts the game out of Fiasco's reach.

All-in-all, good polo to watch. Beards showed they were all about possession and althought there was talk of 'Dirty Polo" I felt both teams were giving as good as each other so left them to their own devices.

Sorry for the vague (and late) write up, but I didn't keep very good notes.

ELKs vs Polonium, Mitchison, a few weeks ago.
ELKs - Ray, Jono and Ali
Polonium - Louie, Tom and Tanya

Game 1.
Elks seem pretty confident about this fixture. So confident that Jono started celebrating at lunch time and was quite drunk by the 7.00pm start time. 3, 2, 1 polo and Jono and Ali are both quick off the break and get to the ball well before Polonium. Jono, however, is quite drunk and passes straight to Tom who finds himself with the ball heading towards the Elks goal. Tom, not expecting this turn of events, panicks and mis-hits a shot towards goal. The ball rolls slowly towards Ray in goal, who somehow manages to completely miss the ball and watches it roll beneath his BB. 30 seconds in, Polonium 1 - 0.
Elks regroup and Jono and Ali move forward with purpose. Jono scores quickly at 1.30' and again at 2.00'. The boys decide to allow Ray out of goal, and the pace of the game slows down slightly, but Elks are still well in control of the ball and the game. Ray scores at 6.30' then two quick goals by Ali and Jono at 7.15' and 8.10' finishes off the game.
Final Score 5 - 1

Game 2
Polonium start this fixture with purpose and their tough defence makes things difficult for the Elks. Whilst they are keeping most of the posession, the Elks are finding it hard to get the ball through the goals. Louie is defending hard (but fair), but polonium don't have enough of the ball up front to trouble the Elks. Tom has a couple of shots, but nothing goes. Jono slots one home at 2.40', but then there is a lull in the attack until 7.40' when Ali steps up and scores. Ray follows with a goal at 8.50' then Ali puts two more home in a minute to finish the game at 10.35'.
Final score 5 - 0.

Game 3
Jono gets to the ball and smashes it through for a quick goal at 0.08'. He seems to be sobering up. Tanya gets the ball in front of an open goal but can't get the final touch to finish it. Elks again take control of the fixture, with Ali scoring at 2.00' and 4.50'. Ray feels a bit left out and chips in with two goals to finish the game and match at 10.30'.
Score 5 - 0.

3 Beards vs Sparkle Motion, Newington, Thursday 5th Nov.

3 Beards: Bill, Mark and Snoopert.
Sparkle: James, Pip and Wayne.

Game 1
Rupert started off in imperious form this game and Sparkle struggled to contain him. He scored at 1.50', 3.20', 5.20' and 6.40'. Pip managed to get one back for Sparkle at 7.40' but it would be their only goal this fixture. Bill finished the game off at 10 minutes.

Final score: 5 - 1

Game 2
Bill gets a quick goal at 0.12' with a typically strong charge straight at goal. Mark decides to roll out and prove his place on the team, puts goals through at 2.35' and 4.00' and Sparkle don't know what hit them. Rupert chips in for a goal at 4.41' then Mark scores again at 5.10' to finish the game quickly.

Final score: 5 - 0

Game 3
The Beards are on a mission. Rupert nails a cracking shot off the break after 0.04'. Bill gets another after 1.00' and Rupert hits one more at 1.50'. Sparkle puts one through their own goal at 2.45', giving the Beards a helping hand they really don't need. There is much frenzied asking of the time from the Beards as they are hoping to finish the game off quicker than their record of 2.30', but it is not to be. Sparkle manage to hold off for another minute, before succumbing to the inevitable goal by Bill at 4.05'. Impressive work by the Beards.

Final score: 5 - 0

Sorry their wasn't much mention of Sparkle here. Wayne was in goal for most of the games, but couldn't do much against the Beards awesome shooting. I know James had a couple of good shots on target, but obviously nothing went. Pip proved a danger on a number of occasions, but luck wasn't with him tonight. It was a tough fixture for them, and shows how dangerous Beards can be when they are on form.

Thanks to everyone doing these write-ups. It's so great to see.
I'll have to attempt at least one myself...

league site is down for maintenance, will be back up shortly, i'll add new write-ups then. thanks guys.

Thursday is on :) what time is good for you guys?

OK, Thursday it is. I've checked with Jonny & John, 7pm looks to be the best time.
See ya there! (Newington that is)

Cool, I think we agreed 7 last week too :)

From now on, I plan to keep the results page linking to the relevant write-ups of games that have been reported on.

See here (scroll down to game by game results)
http://www.londonbikepololeague.com/results/

A massive thanks to people for these write-ups too, so good to read in detail about games you can't make it to watch. And equally funny to read about games you've played in too.

Nice idea and awesome work once again Gabes...

The last fixture before christmas will be released on 07.12.2009

This fixture has until 10.01.2010 to be played.

That's a 3 week break (as voted, plus 2 weeks playing time on the fixture)

Hey Los Conos and Dinos whens good for you this week I can do Wednesday.

Saturday 7th November//Spinal Tap Out vs. Polonium 210//Hurlingham Park

West London meets itself and despite the light hearted nature of western play there is a sense from both teams to achieve beyond their performance to date. Hurlingham park is a buzz with sporting prowess and rugby hearts, but little attention is payed to that corner of the field where polo breathes.

Game One starts with Tap Out winning the charge and after some hesitation from both teams, the first goal of the game after a few minutes. Neither team lacks composure, however, there is a lack of focus. Polonium orbit unsuccessfully and on winning the ball fail to make the other half their own. Tap Out also at times appear desperate, shooting from far, including a few wild backswings from Ed. Although despite this, the game is punctuated repeatedly by the stronger play of Tap Out, the shooting partnership of Prav and Ed and some great saves from Aram.

Polonium start Game Two with a greater urgency, as Tom jumps the gun on the charge. But this urgency is not paired with ease, as Tom misses the ball, Polonium again fail to own the fairer half of the court. The teams are at a stale mate (largely due to some good body checking from Louie). The lack of a crowd means heckles come from the teams themselves, filling the game with a tension as tactics and demand are echoed across court. It is Polonium that break the match, and after a goal from each again, the score stands at 2:1 to Polonium, with moments slipping away. Tap Out start to play all out, yet each onslaught meets a stern defence from Polonium. As twenty seconds find themselves the last of their own, Ed finds the goal. As cries of golden goal seem to install some passion into the game, none such is found in the play, and indeed within a couple of minutes Tap Out find their game secure.

Tap Out want to own Game Three, they play in a ruthless manner, moving faster, taking more chances and being more aware of each other. However their defending weakens and after a goal is left vacant and some impressive reach from Tanya, Polonium take the lead. While Tap Out resolutely level, still their defence struggles; after a break from Louie Prav is forced to hurtle back, managing to intercept the mallet, but being himself hurled into a valiant mess. Again and again Polonium find their form, and while they are matched by Tap Out, it was Tom that took it past Ed and sent the ball crashing into the unrequited intentions of Tap Out. Polonium win.

The games were clean, with standard of play increasing game by game. Congratulations to both teams.

Game 1
SpinalTapOut: 5 (ed,ed,prav,prav,ed)
Polonium210: 0

**Game 2
**SpinalTapOut: **3 **(ed,ed,ed)
Polonium210: 2 (tom,louie)

Game 3
SpinalTapOut: 4 (aram,prav,ed,aram)
Polonium210: 5 (tanya,tanya,louie,tanya,tom)

^ The score in the first game was 5-1

Tom is correct, it went:
4-0
4-1
5-1

Em did you actually watch the game or were you at home on the Xbox