The sun shone on Great Glen as Westleigh arrived hoping to build on the already fast-growing momentum and team spirit from pre-season. Quickly news of Market Harborough flaking rippled through the tourney, and as the sun continued to shine on such a warm day, it was a fact we'd later look on with relief.

A later than expected start allowed us to prepare more vigorously to face L'Boro Students in our first fixture. Harborough dropping out already put us on the water-based rather than sand-based pitch, but the students went to the sand not realising the change in venue and we were happy to oblige. They usually play on the water and we saw the sand as a leveler. They only encounter sand on beaches, whereas in the lower echelons of the sport it's a way of life, and for a small period of time on a Saturday evening, a floor covering.

Now, the overriding point of the day is that time really is relative. 25 minutes is a very short time when you're the better team, but a long time when you're not. The mighty Westleigh faced a skilled Students side that lacked organisation but not creation. Our plucky and resilient back four absorbed the pressure well, and as L'Boro town gathered to support us (presumably in a mutual disdain of soap and tax dodging) began to look at ease with such tricky opponents, albeit constantly on the back foot.

Composure on the ball in our own half was evident and demonstrated the willingness and pace with which the 1st XI have adopted visionary captain Stuart Phillips' hockey philosophy. It even allowed us to create a few of our own chances, particularly from Sam Glasius not allowing the Students the time on the ball to which they are so accustomed, which riled them, and James Michael Farquar Buster Aloysius Hornblower Waddington and Eugene Moran causing havoc amongst the Students defence (although they were posted on the halfway line).

The whole affair ended some might say unfairly, when Rob Britton was clear through on goal and ready to unleash Hell on the ball when the umpire blew for time. He was guaranteed to roof it.

Either way we took a point off Loughborough bloody Students, and maybe showed them a thing or two, particularly that you don't need complicated short corner routines to not score them.
All in all, we gave a good account of ourselves, got a point from a game we started with the mindset "25 minutes is not a great deal of time to achieve double figures" and walked away with a smile on our face, a good start to a great day.

Enter Coalville. The one fixture that we thought we could and should win. A cold start from Westleigh, perhaps still romanticising with an unexpected point saw us immediately under pressure. Having dealt with it so well beforehand, it took a few minutes to regroup. We did regroup but conceded a short corner which was pitifully converted by a lucky bounce, the ball never reached the backboard, but they all count. We got our heads on straight away, and an extended spell of pressure saw Jonny Kirby get the ball after great retrieval work from James Waddington, and he smashed it in the D for James Ebdon-Muir to get the slightest (and I mean the slightest) of touches to send it goal bound. 1-1.

Coalville came straight back and one of their forwards regrettably waltzed into the D unchallenged to come one in one with the daunting figure of Spencer Murphy, and megged him. The only foot put wrong in an impressive day for the Westleigh veteran between the sticks. It was an open game which we felt we deserved more from and one silly error cost us a point. Such is the sport. We feel that had the game gone to the full 70 minutes, it would’ve been a different outcome. The same can be said of the Students game, too.

With an hour and a half until our next game, the Westleigh took in a cup of tea, and wandered into the village in search of sustenance where Jonny Kirby got to grips with the Co-op meal deal during an uncomfortable 2 minutes.

With meal deal in hand, and a bonus Calippo for the skipper, sausage rolls were shared about the troops and we engaged in some of the jovial pitchside banter that had been a staple of the day's success thus far.
Heads were screwed on and joints limbered up ready for the final fixture against L'Boro Town on the water. Westleigh went into this needing a 2-0 win to progress to the semi-finals and knowing when a draw would put us bottom but with an early escape to the pub. A similar game unfolded as against the Students only with Westleigh creating more opportunities and arguably having the best chance of the game with James Waddington's sublime reverse effort cruelly ricocheting of the near post with the 'keeper well beaten. Again the defensive effort of Westleigh was exemplary, absorbing the pressure capably, and having the presence of mind to pass our way out of trouble. Another 0-0 condemned us to the bottom of the pool and an early shower but, as aforementioned, an early pint.

Honorable mentions to Jake Dodds, Alex Savage and. later on, Backdoor for their sterling support on the sidelines and to Jonny Kirby for his (harsh) yellow card.

Back at the Cow and Plough (when in Rome) after Backdoor and Jonny finally found their way after getting lost which led them to duel for Dick of the Day, Jonny's lame and submissive attempt to arm wrestle Backdoor crowned him with Dick of the Day. Man of the Match was an appropriately open contest, with 10 of the match day squad receiving nominations.

It ended in a 3 way arm wrestle between Spennie Murphy (plenty of good saves), Giles Hayward (defensive shorts) and Stuart Phillips ("relentless" aerials - not always good). After a DQ for Giles and his wayward elbow, it was as left to the captain to face down Spennie. Seconds into the contest a worrying and very audible click from the captain's arm put him down easily to crown Spencer Murphy the first official (and probably deserved) Man of the Match of the season.

To summarise, a very pleasant day where Leicester Westleigh showed not only could they play their own hockey against formidable opposition but do so with a smile on their faces and a great team spirit, and we walked away with our head held high.

A great atmosphere surrounded the competition and it was played in the best of spirits, and served as great encouragement for the season ahead.