For the last few years we had been in the happy yet heartbreaking situation of having more prospective players than space on the teamsheet for the annual Old Boys hockey fixture.

To counter that, this year we decided to throw caution and tradition to the wind and turn the OWBA vs School match into a three-way tournament, with two OWBA teams (B&C and F&G) and the School 1^st XI side. This innovation meant that we had no fewer than 25 Old Boys pulling on (or in some cases squeezing into) an OWBA shirt and taking to the astro.

It also set up the delicious prospect of an all-Old Boy grudge match, as well as giving the OWBA two chances to beat the School. What I didn’t forsee is that it also allowed one team the potential for the crushing humiliation of being beaten twice, an honour that think I and rest and of the Brereton & Courtenay team embraced with both humility and grace.

The scores and results were as follows: OWBA B&C 2 v. OWBA F&G 3 OWBA B&C 0 v. WBS 1st XI 1 OWBA F&G 1 v. WBS 1st XI 0 Winners – OWBA F&G Runners Up – WBS 1^st XI Wooden Spoon – OWBA B&C All in all it was a great day out, and a format we will definitely aim to run again next year.

Thanks must go to Chris “Jose Mourinho” Burrows for organising the school sides, and to all the supporters for their strong and vocal support from the sidelines.
Chris Boulden (94-03B)