‘The Battle for Ross Bone’

He hadn’t a care in the world and everything seemed right. Or so Fin Potter thought. Suddenly, he realised was late. Late to arguably the biggest game of Marlow’s season so far. The game against Lewes in the EH Cup, played on the 27th of September, was a closely fought battle. The reds were up against it on paper and in reality as Lewes play their hockey in the glitz and glamour of the league above Marlow. This game was labeled the ‘Battle for Ross Bone’ and truly lived up to the billing.

“LET THE BATTLE COMMENCE!” Yelled the umpire - and so it did.

The game from start to finish was a hotly contested midfield battle, which the reds came out on top of in the opening minutes. Gary Goodman, the dog off his leash, struck with a goal on the 8 minute mark. 4 minutes later however, Lewes’ gun-flicker scored from a penalty corner. At 1-1, Marlow had James Luff sent to the bin for a 2 minute cool down who was closely followed by the goal scorer Goodman.

A measly minute before the break, the green of Lewes scored once again from a corner. The halftime score was 2-1; the team moral was resistant and resilient to the lows of being behind; and Pete Harding’s hangover was still raging as he lay in bed trying to remember where he was supposed to be at that very moment.

The second period began well for the reds with a screamer from Matt Ashton, aged 73, via an overhead strike into the net. However, four minutes of madness followed Marlow’s goal and before you could say ‘Sam, you can’t say that in front of children,’ the score was 5-2 to the greens. The Marlow fight back was on, with both teams down to 10 due to a Sam Roberts professional foul and bad Lewes stick tackle.

Marlow were on top just, but being stretched by the pace and skill of some of the Lewes attackers. On the sideline, Chappell threw down his clipboard. The time was now. The time to make the do or die decision. “Ross Bone, off you come.” Ginger 16 to kicking back was now how Marlow lined up. 3 minutes after this, the young and upcoming Ben Rollett came to the party and bagged himself a first team goal. Kevin Chappell smiled that crooked Nottingham smile of his and thought to himself ‘done it again’. Marlow’s attempts their after, valiant as they were, were squandered and the game finished 5-3 to Lewes.

A good game overall. Not the result the red army wanted but, one that did not dishearten the faithful. Ross Bone’s heart may still bleed green yet, the battle for his soul will never end.

Match report by Sam North