ONE Team Training & Friendly Match Against Neros/Sunderland
Posted on 13/12/07 18:18
As I mentioned a few weeks back, a team is being put together from players in the ONE League to play at Nautilus and the UK Nationals competitions. Following the trials held back in October, I've been selected for the team. I don't have a full team list yet (Jamie from Durham presumably has that), but Ali, also from York, Jamie & Dan (?) from Durham (DUUHC), and the rest from the Fenham, Byker and Jesmond teams in Newcastle (NEM-OC). Sorry, I'll work out everyone's name eventually!
Given that Nautilus is happening on the weekend of 5/6 January, it was decided that a training session and match was in order fairly soon, so last Friday we all congregated at Fenham for a warm up session, to be followed by a friendly match against Sunderland (aka Neros).
(As a quick aside, Fenham have an interesting pool - the deep end is about 2 metres deep, but slopes up to about 1.5 metres at the wall. It also has two raised (about 5 cm) covers over the water outlet in the deep-end. Still, this just makes for a more interesting game!)
Actually, the match was very similar to the York A versus Durham match - Neros were all over us in the first half, but come the second half it was a lot closer. Again, much of this comes from the ONE Team not having played together before, and slowly getting used to each other's styles of play.
From my point of view, it was interesting playing against Neros, as they are well ahead of any of the teams that York have played against recently. The result is that you've really got to be on form, as any mistake will be punished, and my usual style of play (which is to lurk in defence but play a bit of midfield and attack at the first opportunity) doesn't really work as it leaves too big a hole at the back. Especially when at least one of Neros forwards has a fantastic turn of speed - towards the end, I was nearly catching him, but not quite!
Unfortunately, I doubt we're going to get another chance to play together before we reconvene at Sheffield for our Nautilus games on the 5 January 2008, in part because at least Ali and Jamie are heading home for Christmas. Still, I might see if I can head up to Newcastle one evening to tag along at one of their training sessions - especially as there are no more official York Uni sessions until 13 January 2008.
Finally, according to the Nautilus team selection info on the BOA website, we're going to be in Division 5 (as NEM-OC). The bad news is that Neros are also in Division 5! The full list of teams is as follows:
That's it for now. I'm going to spend the weekend with the bandsaw knocking up some new bats, as mine are looking a touch tired already, and I've had a couple of requests from former York Uni players. See you in Sheffield!
Given that Nautilus is happening on the weekend of 5/6 January, it was decided that a training session and match was in order fairly soon, so last Friday we all congregated at Fenham for a warm up session, to be followed by a friendly match against Sunderland (aka Neros).
(As a quick aside, Fenham have an interesting pool - the deep end is about 2 metres deep, but slopes up to about 1.5 metres at the wall. It also has two raised (about 5 cm) covers over the water outlet in the deep-end. Still, this just makes for a more interesting game!)
Actually, the match was very similar to the York A versus Durham match - Neros were all over us in the first half, but come the second half it was a lot closer. Again, much of this comes from the ONE Team not having played together before, and slowly getting used to each other's styles of play.
From my point of view, it was interesting playing against Neros, as they are well ahead of any of the teams that York have played against recently. The result is that you've really got to be on form, as any mistake will be punished, and my usual style of play (which is to lurk in defence but play a bit of midfield and attack at the first opportunity) doesn't really work as it leaves too big a hole at the back. Especially when at least one of Neros forwards has a fantastic turn of speed - towards the end, I was nearly catching him, but not quite!
Unfortunately, I doubt we're going to get another chance to play together before we reconvene at Sheffield for our Nautilus games on the 5 January 2008, in part because at least Ali and Jamie are heading home for Christmas. Still, I might see if I can head up to Newcastle one evening to tag along at one of their training sessions - especially as there are no more official York Uni sessions until 13 January 2008.
Finally, according to the Nautilus team selection info on the BOA website, we're going to be in Division 5 (as NEM-OC). The bad news is that Neros are also in Division 5! The full list of teams is as follows:
- Solent Viragos
- West London C
- Orkney
- Inverness
- NE-MOC
- Nero's
That's it for now. I'm going to spend the weekend with the bandsaw knocking up some new bats, as mine are looking a touch tired already, and I've had a couple of requests from former York Uni players. See you in Sheffield!
