We had lost 11:1 To Ash in our first match of the season. This was due to lack of preparation, and a missing captain. We weren’t going to let that happen again.

Because a substantial part of our squad (and the manager) would not have been available for the re-match, I had tried to re-arranged the schedules to a more convenient time. Unfortunatly, the best I could manage meant we would have 3 games to play on the same day. This would have been Ash, Skatezone then Gosford – not ideal, but Skatezone and Gosford should not have been too much trouble. As we have have a big squad, I felt that this would not be greatly to our disadvantage

But then, with Gosford folding and all the schedules being re-arranged, the third game was changed to be Shene – a very different prospect from Gosford. In an act of bravado, I didn’t take the opertunity to re-shedule any further and stuck with the three game schedule. As the 11th of May loomed, I began to wonder if that was a wise move!

So the 11th of May arrived, and the lads were really up for it. This time we were prepared, and the game plan had been set long in advance. (I’m not going to say what the plan was on an open website!)

Oxford vs Ash

I expected Ash to be tough, but this time round, our lines were much better coordinated and held together. The goals came, and Ash got more and more dispirited. They spent a long time in the sin bin and were clearly frustrated at the turn around in fortunes since last we met. We beat them 5:3. Their frustration erupted with one of Ash’s players (Ashley Tombs) thumping Karim in the face during the end of match hand shake, and getting Red carded for his efforts (with a two match ban).

Oxford vs Skatezone

Another good game for us, with a good spread of goals amongst the players – and our first lockout of the season – 17:0. No sign at all of any tiring, but this one was not expected to be too hard – still it all adds to the Goal difference figures.

Oxford vs Shene

I had thought that Shene would be an easier game than Ash. Some had warned that I shouldn’t be complacent. I wasn’t, but I expected to be able to get a goal margin and then get most of the squad on. Things turned out very different.

Despite being wary of Shene’s Max Montgomery, within a few minutes Shene had put three goals past us for our one. Shene had a two line squad and were not changing up from line 1 very often, and Mr Montgomery had not had a rest at all . This was working to their advantage. We had a squad that had just played two 40 minute games, and where now being pounded. Time for a rapid change of tactics.

We had 17 players on the bench. I had hoped that they all could get a shift – but this game would effectively set our position in the league – so, foot hard down on the accelerator. Would the engine hold? Amazingly, it did. With all the right fuel, it shot up two gears and hit high revs. The goals came, we equalized, we went ahead, we held, we won!!

Somewhere there is a seismograph (earthquake detector) that must have given a twitch at the same time as the Oxford supporters stood up and roared!

This was amazing stuff. Never did the lads drop their heads. To have just played two games, go 3:1 down, then recover and then win. Wow!

Richard.