Anton Oliver( H, 21-) gives the blues a chance
The Wykehamist
Xs
Anton Oliver( H, 21-) gives the blues a chance
College vs OTH
After having had such a strong top-year last season, OTH brought an inexperienced band of players to their first significant match of the season— a face off against the passionate inhabitants of Chamber Court. The blues in the crowd largely overwhelmed the small group of Browns that had gathered, hoping to see their team teach the scholars a lesson. The largest contingent, however, were the Commoners, numerous on both sides, eager to find out the weaknesses of both contesting teams.
Under the grey skies of late January, the match was underway. The Collegemen commanded the first half; not only were they strong in the hot; they struck their kicks well and were able to quickly achieve a 12-7 lead. In Winkies Fan TV’ s pitchside correspondent Jad Darkazally’ s( D, 21-) interview with JA, the Toyes’ tutor spoke of the‘ Miracle of Istanbul’—‘ there are so many Toyites here, and we are the comeback kings’. Brave words.
By the end of the first half, the scores were closer, College having lost most of their lead. Still, OTH had only scored one goal, while College had scored four, evidencing the strength of College’ s back line. After stern words from a distressed BHGC, eager not to have the first OTH Xs loss in the 23 years of MR’ s refereeing career, Houses upped their game. Over the course of the second half, the lead oscillated back and forth, with neither side able to gain any significant headway. Henry Spoerri( Coll:, 21-) kept College morale high, supported by the smooth tones of Nye Bayley’ s( Coll:, 22-) trombone.
With six minutes of play left on the clock, College claimed the lead, hoping to cling on for an historic win. It was not to be, however, as thanks to some clever play by Sebastian Kingsbury( A, 21-) and Alberto Giannia Garcia( B, 21-), Houses took home a victory. 31-34.
College vs Commoners
If the weather gods had conspired to deter the faithful from making the pilgrimage to the canvas on this most wretched of afternoons, they had sorely underestimated the Commoner faithful. For there they stood, most disregarding the roped boundary, umbrellas discarded, spirits unbroken. And heralding their arrival, was the mournful and magnificent drone of bagpipes, cutting through the January murk. Nye Bayley( Coll:, 22-) and his trombone were no match for Alex Parkinson( G, 21-) and his red-zephyr-draped pipes. Winchester has seen many things within its ancient walls, but rarely, one suspects, has it seen this. The occasion demanded theatre, and received it in abundance.
College’ s early lead sent ripples of unease through the Commoner ranks. Many recalled what College had done to OTH only a few days prior, bashing the Reds’ old enemy to the ropes for all but the last few minutes. Were Commoners to suffer the same fate?
The answer, it turned out, was an emphatic and resounding no.
For Commoners found their footing in the hot and, once found, they never relinquished it, not even in the face of what had seemed like a strong College hot against OTH. No matter how hard College tried— and, to their credit, they tried hard, even throwing extra men in at one point— they could find no answer to the Reds’ physical dominance. Max Henderson( G, 24-) and the rest of the Commoner hot-men were immovable. Isaac Hawkins( K, 23-), making his debut on the Xs canvas, had an immense first game, converting almost every ball coming out of the hot.
Nonetheless, College rallied magnificently in the last few minutes, putting together a flurry of beautifully taken goals, no doubt spurred on by the heroism of captain Henry Spoerri( Coll:, 21-) as he received a ferocious plant straight to the stomach. Still, it wasn’ t enough. The Commoners were relentless, and they closed the game out with twenty points to spare. 36 – 56.
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