Merchant Taylors’ School 1stXI 2 - 0 OMT 1stXI.
On a bitterly cold afternoon at the end of March the annual match between the school 1stXI and the OMT 1stXI took place in front of a very large crowd. For both sides the OMT Cup match brings their hockey season to a close and is always hotly contested with OMT looking to maintain their 100% record in the fixture since it began in the 2008-09 season. With distinguished members of the crowd ready, including the President and Chairman of the OMT society, and the School Headmaster, the match got underway.
The School had the better of the opening exchanges with OMT surrendering possession all too easily and this pressure was turned into a short corner mid-way through the first half. Kevin Haigh, school teacher and guest player for the School XI, stepped up to convert low into the bottom corner to give his side a deserved lead.
OMT managed to wrestle back the initiative after the goal but were denied by 3 outstanding saves in quick succession by the School goalkeeper Jack Close. Going into half time a goal down was disappointing for OMT but there had been enough encouragement late in the half to ensure optimism that the game was still very much there for the taking.
Both sides rang the changes at half time including a goalkeeper change at each end. The second half was extremely even with OMT pushing hard for an equaliser with a number of good chances and a disallowed goal, but the School looked dangerous on the counter-attack with their quick front line causing havoc in the OMT defence.
The defining moment came with 10 minutes to go as the school XI broke away in a quick flowing move and Kevin Haigh once again found himself in space, rifling a shot low into the corner to give his side a healthy lead. Although OMT fought hard to find a goal to get themselves back into the game, it wasn’t to be and the match came to an end, handing the school a deserved victory.
The win shows the continued improvement of school hockey under the stewardship of Joe Cowan which culminated in the first OMT Cup win in five years for the School, but suggests that OMT could find this fixture increasingly difficult in years to come. It must be said that the win was well deserved, and that the game as a whole was a fantastic advert for both School and OMT hockey alike. It was played in a tremendous spirit and the event was thoroughly enjoyed by both the spectators and the players.
After the match, OMTHC hosted a reception in the OMT Society War Memorial Club House, after which the presentations took place. Recognition was given to the two umpires of the day, Graham Harris and Atul Sofat, and man-of-the-match awards were presented for each side. The OMT
man-of-the-match was awarded to Khush Shah for his excellent display in defence and the school award was given to Jack Close for his excellent performance in the first half. The OMT Cup was then presented by the OMT Society President, Ian Turnbull, to Chris Harrison, captain of the winning School team.
Finally, special recognition was given to Stephen Wright for his strong and continued support for hockey at the school and for OMTHC in tributes made by. Joe Cowan and Varun Paul (captain OMTHC 1stX1). They then jointly presented Stephen, currently in his final year at the school Headmaster before he retires in July 2013, with an inscribed tankard from both the school and OMTHC in appreciation of his strong encouragement of the development of hockey at the school and for OMT during his time in office. The rewards for both the School and OMT hockey have been clear for all to see.
The OMT Cup match always ensures that the links between the school and OMT hockey are strengthened and hopefully, in the coming years, school leavers will continue to come back to
play a vital role in the development of OMT hockey going forward.
Thanks must go to both the captains for organising strong sides to play on the Easter weekend, Atul Sofat and Graham Harris for umpiring, the many parents, OMT Society representatives, and other supporters, who attended the event on such a very cold day, and, in particular, Philip Newfield for organising and making it such a success.