This weekend’s game saw the rescheduled return fixture with the Ops once again away, this time to Maidstone. And, with last week’s disappointing 3-3 draw to Sittingbourne 5s fresh in their minds, they were keen to return to winning ways and repeat their opening game of the season when they beat the ‘Stones comprehensively 7-0.

And, with regulars Stuey Crableston and Owen Goshford away on foreign deployment and centre Borris Nordone recovering for vital toe surgery, fresh sticks were required to bolster the squad. So, in the form of John Pacey, returning to hockey after a two-year absence for knee replacements, Phil Lucan, also reappearing after a significant absence from the game and young sensation JJ Kennedy making a rare guest appearance replacing the once-again absent international playboy Beemian, along with Carl Bonzdildo filling in for veteran Steve Rowley-Birkin, the determined visitors lined up on a chilly February afternoon to face the home side, keen to redeem themselves in front of a packed galley.

The game started brightly with the visitors quickly grabbing hold of the game and moving the ball quickly around as they looked to notch up an early goal. And they didn’t have too long to wait either as a delightful through ball from Matt Messy found the omnipresent shape of Matt Mjölnir hovering on the edge of the D to pivot and slam the ball firmly to the backboard: 1-0. Then, following a couple of short corners, another well-worked move saw a pinpoint pass through to the nimble-footed JJ, who slotted in from an acute angle and double the visitor’s lead. Then, following some well-worked play along the right wing from young Riley Gordon – himself returning to the Sevens once more after a hiatus in the 8s – to Simon Gizmo who fed through to Messy to calmly shoot and put the Sevens three up as they went into halftime.

Despite a team talk from guest coach Amy Bumstead advising to not chase the game, it was clear that the Ops had other ideas as they looked to build on their 3-0 cushion, as the back line quelled any forays and pushed forward to the likes of Bonzdildo and the wings to create further opportunity. Despite some close forays from the ever-threatening enigmatic skipper Dan Muledenny, their persistence soon bore fruit as Chris Simpo, having trundled through the opposition defence had the opportunity to shoot, which, despite lacking any real pace, unexpectedly passed everyone to clunk the backboard for the Ops 4th of the day.

With the high-tempo maintained, Maidstone weren’t giving up and kept pushing, ensuring the likes of Pacey and regular Simon Hannibal were called upon frequently along with the free-roaming Luce Cannon to quell anything too threatening, leaving the keeper Stuart Tray with little to do apart from shouting at his back line to keep doing what they already knew what to do.

The young farmer-wannabe Gordon was having a fantastic game and, given some good space, created frequent opportunities and, with the forwards having won yet another short corner, Gizmo was unlucky to not open his account after his shot following a cracking pass from Mjölnir clipped the post. However, this was shortly redeemed by Mjölnir as he connected with a great push through from young Kennedy for his second.

Shortly after, that man Mjölnir once again stepped up and, following more persistence from the mids, connected with yet another pass to rocket home his hattrick. But, this wasn’t to be his last; despite Maidstone pulling a consolation goal back that was met with little resistance and somehow evaded Tray’s impressive form, a pass-come-shot from Messy was tipped off his stick to evade the outstretched keeper’s glove for his fourth and the Ops eighth of the game. Gizmo was unlucky near the end to not score as he met skipper Muledenny’s defence-splitting pass at the far post to be stopped by the defenders on the line.

With the game concluding at 8-1, this was once again another great example of the potential that the Sevens have consistently demonstrated this season. At a packed post-match press conference, Skipper Muledenny commented: “Another great game and another sterling performance from the lads; our debutants performed fantastically – it was good to actually see Lucan ‘running’ around once more on a pitch – and all our regulars put in a shift, delivering in a game where the scoreline perhaps didn’t reflect the quality that our opposition put in, so all credit to them.

‘Once more, our mids and that man Mjölnir were the backbone of the team - there’s just no stopping that man’s quest for the Golden Stick! Also, a special mention for young Riley Gordon who put in a fantastic performance as right half creating opportunity after opportunity and I’m pretty sure that Carl Bonzdildo may need a new set of lungs after the effort he put in!

With week off next week, we’re back at Maidstone again the following week to play their 4s, in what will be a month of testing games, mostly against those vying for the top spot. Still, it makes my selection now even more of a headache as today these lads staked their claim to a spot in the club’s favourite team™️ as we push to maintain our top-of-the-table form’