BDHC @ Harleston

BDHC V Harleston
For the final game of the season, ravaged by injury and illness, a new look Dragons XI travelled to visit a Harleston side needing a win to gain promotion to the Premier division.
Obviously keen to avoid an upset, Harleston heavily watered the pitch moments before push back, slowing down the Dragons’ passing as the ball held up on the waterlogged surface. With passes from centre backs Brewer and Moisey Snr struggling to reach their targets due to the surface, replacement goalkeeper Edwyn Sarsby who received the emergency call up on the morning of the game, was soon called into action.
The script had already been written; Harleston would put the division’s basement side to the sword and be back in the clubhouse for tea and medals while the vanquished Dragons slunk home dejected after a 5 hour round trip…. But youngsters Brill, Garner, Hutton, Moisey jnr and Moisey the even younger are not known for their literacy skills, and obviously had not read the script. An exhibition of carefree, direct, aggressive running saw Harleston’s defence back pedalling whenever the Dragons launched one of their fast paced counter attacks. They looked nervy, and rightly so.
The sight of Alex Hutton beating 3 players from right back or of Hugo Brill throwing a cross field aerial from left side line to right, shows you just how far this team has come in terms of performance since September. The season may have been a slog at times with just 2 wins all year, but seeing Edward Moisey tackle a player twice his age and 3 times his size with said player then complaining to the umpire that he’d been bullied off the ball; or his brother Joseph beating a player in the D not once but twice to get his shot away, or of Joe Garner making another spectacular goal line clearance to spoil the day of yet another National league striker; these are the moments that show the season was worth it after all.
Not to be outdone, the older players played their part too. Elder statesman and club chairman Pete Moisey showed there’s life in the old dog yet, stepping in to play centre back at short notice and rarely looking out of position (though I’m not sure he really wants to be facing Div 1 drag flickers every week if he’s honest!). Brewer lead the chat from the off, cheering every tackle and putting his body on the line (literally) to block shots at every opportunity with whichever part of his anatomy he could get in the way (think Forrest Gump). Joe Allan, James Watkins and Isaac Charles worked tirelessly in midfield, showing their fitness in the 20 degree heat. It was a thankless task at times but all 3 were prepared to track back and put their shoulder in where it was needed, a fact warmly welcomed and appreciated by their 2 centre backs.
Goalkeeper Edwyn Sarsby rightly took the man of the match award, his best display in a BDHC shirt; commanding, aggressive, and agile when he needed to be, but for me the Dragons’ champagne moment of the match belonged to his father when shortly after his introduction from the bench, veteran club stalwart Dave Sarsby, loitering in central midfield, looked to receive a pass from Hutton at right back. Rather than receive under pressure, Sarsby nonchalantly stepped over the ball, wrongfooting the entire Harleston team and allowing the ball to run all the way through to Brill on the left touchline who set off at speed into the D to get a shot away.
Yes we got beat 10-0.
Yes we are going down and deservedly so.
But this game restored my faith and pride in a team who have endured much throughout this campaign for little reward and were still willing to mix it with a Harleston team with no fear. Today we were a team.