Match Rerport: UEA III v Norwich City U16 B

Norwich U16 B	7:4	UEA III
		Harry Ian Matt Ellie

The last time UEA III played against Norwich City under 16s B team, they were comprehensively beaten by 9 points to 4. This time round, things got a little better for the fledgling thirds. Suspicions arose from the very beginning on two fronts, firstly because it appeared as though we were actually playing the A team (that’s Norwich City’s A team, not BA Baracus and his crew), and secondly because of one particular under 16 who, judging by his greying hair and gruff voice, must have spent the first fifteen years of his life tilling the land in Siberia. Questionable youngsters aside, the match got underway at a frantic pace and we students with our aching bones and hangovers couldn’t cope with the nippy youngsters, who took the lead after only a few minutes of the game gone. Everyone knows, though, that when the thirds’ backs are to the wall, all we have to do is call upon Harry Low and, when he’s not cavorting with a member of the opposite sex, he’ll duly oblige with a goal of his own. This is exactly what he did, drawing the scores level and bringing about a change around.

The constant running around by the Under 16s caused no end of problems for the thirds in the second part of the first half and they were able to increase their lead with a couple of neat running in shots that flummoxed our poor defenders and left us with a bit of a mountain to climb if we were to get much out of the game. The second half brought about a change with Ian “I like to annoy Adam by scoring from long distances” Durrant coming onto the court and almost immediately scoring from a long distance and annoying Adam. At 4-2 to the youngsters, there was a possibility of claiming at least one point from the encounter. Unfortunately 4-2 soon became 6-2 and the thirds were looking down the barrel of a particularly potent double barrelled shotgun type weapon in the shape of a korfball humbling (…I doubt you understood that either).

Hang on…hold the phones! It seems that we’ve once again underestimated the pluck and determination that keeps our team rolling on. At 7-2 to the Under 16s, the thirds were offered a lifeline in the form of some inexplicably bad defending courtesy of coach Phil. Somehow, Matt Unsworth found himself pretty much under the basket without a defender in sight and promptly reduced the deficit to a mere four goals. It should also be pointed out that the shot wouldn’t have even come about had it not been for seven other players and the entire UEA contingent on the sideline shouting “SHOOT….FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SHOOT!” to an oblivious Unsworth. Needing just one more goal to claim that hard-earned point, it all rested on the shoulders of the talented Ellie Nash, who, along with Inge Carrington, was able to run her opponent with ease in the second half. A tidy move from UEA saw Ellie collect the ball and put it through the basket with only a minute or so left on ref Paul’s watch. He duly blew the final whistle not long afterwards and, for the third successive week, the thirds were able to earn at least one point from their endeavours.

It is once again without exaggeration that I thank Jess and Swaraj for their tremendous coaching and all round friendliness to the occasionally ‘rabbit caught in the headlights’ third team. It says a lot about their expertise and the work rate of the team that first teamer Paul commented so pleasantly on our performance after the final whistle and the consensus agreement was that this match actually saw the best from UEA thirds. There are no more matches until after Christmas, but the third team can certainly take many great positives from their first term of competitive korfball. Merry Christmas!

Thanks to Adam Everett for writing the report!