Oxford Hawks Mens 3’s vs Abingdon 1s – 12.10.24

On a brisk Saturday afternoon, Hawks 3s squared off against Abingdon in a match that can only be described as “chaos meets hockey.” Though the final score read 4-3 in favour of Abingdon.

The First Half
Hawks took to the field brimming with optimism. Things got off to a promising start when Oliver Paton, the mastermind of the short corner, produced a moment of magic in the 27th minute. Although this came 26 minutes after Abingdon had opened the scoring. Injecting the ball himself, Oliver got it back and slotted it home, giving Hawks the lead and reminding everyone that giving it back to the injector isn't just polite—it's tactical.

The Second Half
The second half was a whirlwind. In the 53rd minute, Ben Thomas decided he'd had enough of all this passing nonsense and rifled one in from open play, bringing Hawks back into the game. It was the sort of finish that made you wonder if the ball had done something to upset him. Just two minutes later, Benedict stormed into the spotlight to secure his goal for the day, which would be followed up with an even better performance in DOD votes 90 minutes later (although this had practically been secured pre-game courtesy of university stash, sliders, tardiness, and grafting instead of warming up). The celebrations were understandably wild, as Hawks fans in their dozens dared to dream of a comeback.

Card Chaos
But what’s a good match without a little controversy? Benedict, nervous about a DOD challenge from Ben, received a green card for running into an opponent. Elliot, on the other hand, managed to get carded by accident thanks to the mysterious actions of Willo. It's unclear how Willo's trickery managed to redirect the umpire’s wrath toward Elliot, but it was very effective.

Willo – The (Tiny) Giant of the Midfield
Speaking of Willo, the diminutive dynamo was all over the midfield, running the show like a conductor orchestrating a symphony of confusion. His tireless work and trickery earned him the well-deserved Man of the Match award.

Final Score: Abingdon – 4– 3 - Hawks
Despite a valiant effort and some inspired play, Hawks couldn't quite manage to overcome Abingdon’s persistent attack. But with stunning goals, confusing cards, and a Willo masterclass, it was a match that won’t soon be forgotten.

In summary, Hawks 3s left the pitch with heads held high (and in Elliot's case, perhaps slightly bewildered), ready to take the positives into the next battle.