As this captain has nothing better to be doing today.. and there have been no match reports as of yet this year, instead a midseason review is in order.
September
Pre-season
After a particularly tough season, last year due to issues with player rules with the opposition team and 2 months off the mighty sevens were raring to get going once again for a new season in GM 6East.

Friendly vs 6s 1-1[/size]
The game started off with a couple of new juniors available for the 7s as well as a new recruit and pro dancer Jack Rees. The only issue was it did not start off with a keeper for the 7s with the keeper going to the wrong pitch or not realising it was on - queue the first 15mins of the match having no keeper with the 6s capitalising on this in this time. The team played the ball around the pitch really well and a second-half goal from James Khongmueang and assist from Sandor Bako was enough to only see the draw this time but it was well documented that the 7s played the better hockey and did win 1-0 whenever we had a keeper in the net.

[size=small]Friendly CoM 3s 2-3/size]
Tim missed the penalty flick!! They chanted and that was all they wrote...
They scored from a penalty flick straight after down the other end
The records do show he scored 2 other goals.. also show no 7s leagues go so...

Friendly at Stockport 0-4
Way too hot for any game of hockey... 30 odd degrees heat. The facts of the game have long since been forgotten, the beers were nice afterwards for those of age.

[size=large]Season
Timperely 5: 0-6
I wasn't in attendance this match and Timperley 5s went on to become unbeaten. We had Sagar "swing tackle" Patel in at CB so all in all a great result this

October
Wigan 2: 0-1
A close fought game with the opposition scoring from a short corner. Jacques with a load of top quality saves.

Bolton 3-1
A win that for months was recorded as a 3-1 loss. Away to Bolton where the pitch was always hidden away a team of 12 regulars went up to play. A first-half Tom Barnes goal took the league with Bolton equalising just before halftime with an unfortunate shot going under the keeper's foot. The second half started with Didsbury in control, a 1:1 missed by Sagar who was otherwise causing the opposition all kinds of problems with pace. Mike Throup nearly scored a goal with a well-hit shot from a corner. Jack Rees with the second goal and thankfully the cushion of Tom Barnes sweeping in a shot from a short corner leaving a very calm 15 mins for the first win since beating the 6s in preseason 2020 (or the one 20 min game win vs Timperley 6s in the summer tournament)

Buxton 1-1
Records show Dave Loughborough's goal was an og It is not known too much about this game other than lots of querying around this goal. Didsbury scored first and they scored from a corner. Apparently, it should have been a win

Bowden 6s: 1-1
If last week was a game that should have been a win but was a draw this game was a draw that could have very easily been a loss. Doug was playing his first game in nets who is primarily a cb and was kept very busy throughout and coming out on top of many 1v1. Didsbury went 1-0 up at halftime thanks to the slowest goal in hockey history from Josh. The game also included an almost goal by the Didsbury captain who ran all the way up the pitch from cb with the ball narrowly missing the shot.

November
Timperley 6s 2-3
It was with regret in the summer we had seen the last of James Dennis (JD) in DHNC colours making the decision to move to the hockey club instead that was a 2-minute walk from his house for a more JD "direct" approach to matches. There were plenty of mind games to be had in the week following up. The Timperley strikers game Didsbury defenders all sorts of problems all game with strength and power to take the ball around the defenders when receiving the ball if the defenders got too tight and were often being left 1 v 1 with their defenders. Early in the second half, it was 3-0 to Timperley. Dave Loughborough scored a brilliant goal from outside the D that was given and Tom Barnes swept in again from a worked short corner giving a frantic 15 mins left of the game to try to secure the draw with Didsbury playing a form of a 3-1-4-2 after going 3 down to try to get back into the game. Horse Carter was MOTM for Didsbury with special mention to Scott Thompson who patrolled the midfield in the second half and made a huge difference

City of Manchester 3: 0-1
This was a gutting game to be part of with City of Manchester not creating much all game and Didsbury not really getting going too much either in trying a back 3 but with 10 mins to go a second injury to the defensive line finally gave CoM a chance which although there were fouls made by CoM in the move it was given with only 6 mins left in the game left. An unfortunate result that Didsbury will be looking to avenge in the return fixture

Horwich 2: 2-1
Going into this game Didsbury were a couple of places above the bottom vs bottom of the table Horwich in a must-win game. A mix up in defence allowed Horwich to knock a ball to the back post for a tap in with Didsbury going into halftime 1-0 down. An inspired tactical discussion from Andrew Johnson (Jandy) pointed out how Horwich was only hitting long balls to certain players and if we set up correctly on 16s we could pen the opposition in. Didsbury played the second half in the way the game is to be played, 1-2 passing, using the youth and impressively on their 16s from orders from behind blocked the spaces so Horwich had zero possession of the ball and zero shots in the second half. A trademark reverse hit from Oscar got the team level before a cool mini flick that hit the top of the backboard from a short corner. There was still lots of time remaining in the game and could not get the 2 goal cushion but keeping the hockey ball it was able to easily see the game out

Bowden 5 0-10
No commentary required... ridiculously good opposition.

December
Brooklands 1-4
It was stupidly cold and wet; a makeshift side came out and started slowly in the cold cold weather. In the second half, we started playing more and had many chances, with an equally slow goal scored by Mark which went through the keeper's legs.

Urmston 2-1
Battered the enemy first half and didn't put the chances away. Went behind and deservedly came back to get the win. Sandor and Vijay with the goals.