Fun Game Tourney 16 February 2008

 

A fun day indeed last Saturday at Senayan, the home of Indonesian Hockey.  ISCI went through undefeated, finishing on top of the pile with most points and best goal difference.   

The usual suspects participated in the opening moments of the event with Ken, driver, Unyil and Gondrong unloading all the drinks, esky’s, ice, music, gear, etc., in the absence of any of the much trumpeted but rarely sighted when there is physical work to do, ‘committee’.  And with the normal amount of confusion, panic and angst when it began to rain but Unyil and team had not erected the requested umbrella’s and tenting to protect the said drinks, gear, and delicate ‘committee’, etc.  A cooling zephyr brought 2 inches of rain that dropped temperatures 10°C and seemed to mock our plans to bring water by truck to dampen the pitch.  Surprisingly, according to Mark Emmerson (who was yet to present his credentials as a true ‘pisspot’), the first can was not opened until after the second game with the sun (if you could find it) well over the yard-arm.

 

Game 1 - V/s UNJ (1 - 0) (Otong)

We started with 9 players and had to pull in BM as our goalkeeper due to the late arrival of the ever unreliable TJ, who turned up seconds before the match and had to scurry to make up the 11 just after the start.  BM acquitted herself magnificently, and, as usual with our brittle defence, she was given many chances to display her cat-like reflexes. Otong was playing like a man on drugs and did “an Armo”, looking at Deny but scooping the ball into the fence, and thus was dispatched to the forward line where it was presumed he could do less damage (Ichang being asked to cover for his sorry ar#e at the back).  This was a reasonably high standard affair with UNJ creating several golden chances to score but the ball seemed to go just inches wide a number of times.  Eventually class shone thru and a ball was passed to Otong in front of goal that even he couldn’t miss, 1-0.  Normal service was resumed when Ijan turned up 5 minutes before the end to add bite and focus to the centre forward position relegating Otong to defence and Ichang back to right wing.  Several good chances resulted but no further score.

 

Game 2 – v/s STEI ( 2 -1) (Ken, Ijan)

A game that we considered would be our toughest on the day considering we were up against younger, fitter and faster opponents, and as STEI had 7 players who were undergoing ‘rigorous’ training for the PON.  The game was fast and open and we rarely challenged their keeper but neither did STEI until a penalty corner resulted in a goal deflected off the keepers pads. ISCI picked up the pace, put pressure on individuals and got some turnovers that saw us in the D a lot more.  A penalty corner with a set play (pass it to Steve) resulted in Ken cleaning up Steve’s sloppy attempt and we were 1-1.  We then opened  STEI up a bit more with some good moves down the right wing and finally were rewarded when a move that started at right back finished with Rupert passing to Ijan who dribbled around 2 defenders and smashed the ball into the top of the net from the top of the D.  A hard game in which everyone did their job with Mark E keeping the ISCI defense in check and Cap’n Niggle making some desperate last-line saves.

 

[It was about here that Chris opened the first can I believe.  Then Mike Gray arrived and spoiled everything]

 

Game 3 – v/s NHC (Ichang 2-0)

A little less pressure in this game with two wins under our belt and out major opposition with a loss already.  A better constructed game plan, more discipline and the pay off with people in the right places when it mattered.  Ichank was the star in the D with 2 goals, one being his trademark diving deflection that just snuck in. Ken did have occasion to ‘ban’ Otong from scooping the ball as he continued to challenge low flying Garuda planes with attempted aerials.

 

[It was about here that others cracked their first cans, I believe]

 

Game 4 – v/s Alumni (Denot 1-1)

ISCI only needed a draw to win the tournament but lead by Captain Outrageous ISCI was high, on confidence and on the beer. The strategic move of letting everyone ‘have a go’ almost backfired against the aged, but wily and ultimately skillful Alumni. 0-1 down from a well taken penalty corner really woke the Kapitan up, who gave more than a mouthful to half the team.  A highlight in this game was when Leo took on Sukirman and attempted to dribble around him but was stopped dead in his tracks with a brilliant Suki tackle that brought a rousing ovation from spectators and players alike. The move of the tournament originated from midfield with Johan and Ichank passing brilliantly between themselves down the right wing and tore the Alumni defence to shreds,  with a final pass across the D which Denot leapt upon like a man possessed (almost pushing Ijan out of the way), to score our equalizer.

 

Thus finishing top of the pile, great riches and rewards beckoned, but alas, a technical error by the Captain of the Day, Nigel Menezes, initially forced upon him by the, as usual, late arrival of our erstwhile ‘wearer of the pads’, in that he played two ladies in a Men’s competition, meant that ISCI was disqualified by Tournament Official, Chris Wren.  This resulted in STEI, the perennial bridesmaids at all ISCI events, being presented with the trophy on the day.

 

We do have some photo’s which will be posted on the website.  We sat and drank all the beer, then most of us (Mark E wimping it in favour of a ‘date’ with his wife) meandered over to Bugils for beers and Blowjobs, much to the delight of Widi et al.  Many thanks to all who came, helped out, etc.

 

One of Niggle’s ‘mistakes’ was Lydia Santoso who played her last game for ISCI as she will head back to Oz to get married and continue a legal career in a country where ‘laws’ mean something.  Lydia, we will miss you.