BAD Polo vs. Rotten Apples

From Sarah:

Wednesday 9th December, Newington

Game 1: 2-1 (Golden Goal)

The game starts fast and hectic with both teams blocking well and preventing passes. BAD polo having the best of the chances in the first few minutes with some good steals and Dave coming very close to scoring on two occasions. The first goal comes from Aidan at 4 minutes just as his BAD Girls arrive to support!

Apples come close to scoring but fail to take advantage when both Aidan and Dave are footdown. Brendan also makes a fine clearance under pressure.

Rik is impenetrable at the other end with countless balls hitting his wheels and the cones, yet he stays so solid and so confident. At 10 minutes, BAD almost go 2 up when Dave shuffles a ball through.

The equalizer comes at 13 minutes, when Aidan footsdown in goal. This time, Em takes full opportunity of the gap and scores. A minute later, Apples could have had another chance when Brendan and Aidan crash into each other in the middle of the court, but Dave stays strong in defence.

Eventually it goes to Golden Goal and at 19′37″, the winner came from Brendan after a strike which hit the cone, went high and fortunately the top-spin enabled the ball to roll over the goal line.

Game 2: 1-0
On the charge Gabes gets to the ball first but it is stolen by Aidan. For the first 2 minutes, play is back and forth between each end, and Aidan hits a few wide of the goal. Gabes comes closest at 3 minutes, with a ball that hits the cone, Em misses the rebound chance.

At 5′15″, Aidan gets the first goal after circling around the Apples and slotting the ball between the cones, in what is fast becoming an Aidan trademark.

A close one for Apples when Rik has an incredible shot at Aidan in goal, which he wedged under his rear wheel in front of the goal line. Brendan goes round the back and smacks it clear.

Rik also fires a really hard ball at Dave at the other end, but Dave makes a phenomenal save. Defence at both ends is particularly strong tonight, hence the scorelines. The game eventually times out at 1-0 to BAD.

Game 3: 3-1
Despite two exhausting and intense games, the third starts with just as much determination. Brendan strikes at 2′35″ to give BAD the first goal again. Aidan follows up the scoring at 4′14″.

At 8′38″ Gabes gets one back with an accurate powerful strike straight through the goal.

Aidan has a great chance for another goal whilst Rik is footdown, he is on his own and has time, but regrettably no goal. Another opportunity for Aidan arises, but along comes Gabes with his fat tyres and disc brakes and skids over the ball. Apples are using their bikes to full effect to pull lots of fancy moves to block the opposition!

At 10 minutes Brendan finds himself with two Apples mallets under his front wheel and skids 20ft across the court. However, he gets up and carries on, scoring a minute later and calls a justified time out to fix his clips. The ref takes this opportunity to warn the Apples for their foul mallet play!

The determination continues right up to the last second, when the game ends 3-1 to BAD.

Oh, yeah, and Em was shite at 5′50″ in the first game