gallery

Third Team

Bec 3 v Nomads 2

Bec 3 were up against Nomads 2 and are getting used to the level of competition in this league which means playing against teams that are ranked above them in other clubs.  This game was no exception and Bec appeared little phased competing against players that are of the standard to play for Nomads 1.

The game wasn’t free flowing for either team due to the pressure the defence exerted, but Bec’s attacks were well-structured and the players clearly understood their roles. 3 goals down at half time and Bec 3 were fantastic in playing themselves back into contention; drawing level, and then behind and then level again. Sadly the last few minutes saw Nomads pull ahead without reply, but an overall great team performance. More work to be done, but this season Bec 3 is showing much promise of being a great team made up of talented and hard-working components. MVP: another ‘man of the match’ award for Grant Calder". - Jackie

Final score 7-10 win for Nomads 2

Bec 3 v Highbury

Bec 3 had a tough game against the physical and athletic Highbury 1. Overall, a great display by the team, an improvement on the match against Bec 2 and a real team performance as everyone carried out their roles and played their hearts/legs out for 60 minutes (Grant was the MVP). Disappointing to lose by one goal in the last minute, but some small errors and a stall in scoring meant we never pulled ahead from our 2 goal lead. A performance to be genuinely proud of and other teams in the league will have to sit up and take note. MVP: Grant". - Jackie

Final score 8-7 to Highbury

Bec 3 back to the cup

Bearsted

Craig, Liam, Grant, Jack N, Jo C, Elaine (c), Catherine, Kate Sub: Claire Synott

First up was the youthful team of Bearsted, with a number of players missing away with the England trip to Flanders the question on everyone’s lips was who was going to turn up? Well, Bearsted brought a strong team and showed their credentials as a team that can play well and have a high shot to goal percentage.
Bearsted were quick from the off and using fast girls mixed with strong boys they combined well to score quickly and efficiently. Bec toiled but could not match Bearsted’s movement and sharp passing. Bearsted pulled away early on and could not be reached. Kate, again showing her impressive form with Bec 4, scored a well worked shot.
Half time consisted of Coach Clarke insisting Bec move better and attack more closely around the basket. Unfortunately the tough defence of Bearsted made this extremely difficult and Bec simply were unable to break this down. Grant popped up with a one handed goal under the post (a theme for the day!) but that was all Bec could really answer with.

A tough loss but credit to Bearsted for their sharp shooting and domination of the court. They will be tough opposition to any team in the cup.

Special mentions go to Kate for pushing her girl throughout and some excellent post defence work and to Grant, who played with conviction and tried his hardest to get every other player to also.

Final score: 11-2 (Kate, Grant)

Nottingham Magic

Craig, Grant (c), Jack N, Giancarlo, Jo C, Claire Synott, Catherine, Kate Subs: Liam, Elaine

With Bearsted demolishing Nottingham Magic, Bec 3 knew they were out of the cup but were determined to go out positive, fighting and with pride. And they certainly did that. Nottingham Magic may have been a relatively new team but they had some wiley foxes in Nick Donavon and old Becster Damski that would need to be contained.

Bec came flying out of the starting blocks and looked like never stopping. The first half was dominated by goals, the second half was dominated by goals. Bec 3 were putting up shot after shot and looked a lot stronger than the previous match. Tiredness was setting in but Bec fought through playing some much better korfball with movement and purpose.

The highlights included a nice far out shot from Claire Synott, Catherine Weller scoring four (a mixture of long shots, runs and mid range), Grant scoring four around the post and an immediate impact from Liam at half time with an instant goal.
Once again Kate placed the ball in the basket and Elaine knocked in an impressive long shot. A mention should also go to Jo Cattini who put in some excellent assist work in the second half.
13 goals was an impressive haul at the end of the match.
The defence was tight too with only one conceded and everyone providing strong rebounds whenever Magic did get a shot off.

A nice victory to finish the day although tinged with sadness as Bec 3 are now out of the cup.

Final score: 13-1 (Grant 4, Catherine 4, Claire Synott 2, Kate, Liam, Elaine)

Bec 2 v Bec 3

Bec 2 and Bec 3 arrived at the new training venue of Charter school to face the first game of the season, though this time not against another club, but against each other. With neither team looking each other in the eye but with both teams eager to see their preceeding training pay off, a mix of excitement and intensity filled the North Dulwich hall.

The game started with a display of nervous energy from both teams, with neither side gaining control of the game. Emphasis from new 2nd team coach Danny miles on divisional organisation helped the attack of Ian, Ruth, Anna and Mikey Walsh focus on game strategy and the score board undusted with a long shot from Ian Buckle. Another cheeky under the post shot from Ian and 2 goals from Vicky Bland took the score to 4-0 to Bec-2 ahead.

Bec 3 retaliated with a long shot from Johnny Lazar that sunk like a hobnob in hot tea. A fouled runner on the inside from Ruth allowed the Referee to call a penalty which Ian swiftly put away leaving the half time score to 5 – 1. The second half started with enhanced drive from both teams and the attack of Vicky, Mark, Michele and Micheal Spencer dug in deep to produce two quick goals from Mark and Vicky bringing the score to 7-1. A snappy retaliation from Bec 3 allowed Johnny to sink another from mid range, leaving the score at 7-2.

With Melissa Macan coming on for Anna and Ingmar Evers for Micheal Spencer, the 2nd team divisions were fired with fresh legs and allowed for another boost of movement. A mid range shot from Ruth Campbell took the score to 8-2, which was soon followed by a successful shot from Grant Cadler leaving the score 8-3 and both teams hungry for more. Determination from Micheles division saw a fantastic long shot from Mark and a mid range shot from Vicky sandwiched between 2 long shots from Ian brought the score to 11-3.Bec 3’s George polished his debut performance for Bec by providing another goal against Bec -2 from the back corner bringing the 3rds to their 4th goal. A beautiful long shot from Mark came at just the right time, followed a couple of minutes later by the full time whistle.

 With the final score at 12-4 to Bec 2, both teams allowed their friendly smiles to return before sharing lifts to the pub to discuss the day’s events. All in all a nice practice ride for both teams for the start of the season before the show horse gets put to the test. Bring on Sunday the 25th.

Cup Final Weekend

Bec 3 bang loudly on the door to the promise land

For many observers and participants in the EKA cup last weekend, Bec 3 started off by representing no more than an anomaly in what was otherwise a tough competition with the top teams in the country. Some will have inwardly questioned a knock-out system whereby a LDKA 2nd division team shows up to do battle against the shining lights of English korfball 3 divisions above, and worried that the quality of the korfball on display was going to be affected. Some voiced their umbrage outwardly enough, through creative syntax and frightful spelling.

They need not have worried, and Bec 3 did not worry. They'd already secured promotion and the division championship, losing one game and amassing an improbable goal tally of 166 while conceding only 60 in 14 games. They'd already shown their aptitude for giant-killing by taking the scalp of Highbury I in a thrilling game decided by golden goal, and also their resilience to cold hard fact by progressing through to the second phase of the competition in spite of losing to North Downs. They'd seen players get better and move up to the higher Bec teams or get injured and miss sizeable parts of the season, and still they'd made it to the finish line in one homogeneous, energetic and positive piece. Granted, playing 3 games in one weekend against the best St. George could throw at them was always going to be their toughest challenge, but Bec 3 had evolved into one tough-a$$ dragon that was guaranteed to go down both nostrils blazing and laughing its manic head off. And precisely because of that, they'd already won before they stepped onto the court against Croydon on Saturday afternoon.

Croydon 7-5 Bec III: The bittersweet taste of reality

Faced with National League opposition for the first time this season, Bec 3 decided to let fly early on, before the size of their task became fully apparent. If the team before them was supposed to run circles around them, nobody told the yellows, whose defensive ferocity was deployed as resolutely and as successfully as if they were playing their usual fixtures against the likes of Supernova and Woking, and whose attack was, well...as beautiful to watch and as fruitless on the scoreboard as it had been all season.

Every inch of the court was used and every spot on the top of the basket was battered, and long before the 27-shot mark of inevitability was reached, Johnny found himself in space and drained a turnaround jumper to put the Bec ahead. Woken to life, Croydon finally showed signs of skill and a well-worked drive to the basket led to a converted penalty. All square at the first interchange, and no sign of 3 divisions separating the teams.

The rest of the first half was a blur of yellow. With supporters growing louder with every daring pass and every rebound, Bec found several extra gears they'd never needed to use in the regular season, while Croydon took a step back to try and regroup. The result was more space than Bec needed, and they converted through further long shots from Laura and Catherine and a lovely drive and shot from Lauren. Grant and Simon capped the half off with a drop-off combination straight out of the textbook of schexinesh. But where the real difference was made was in defence and under the two baskets, where Simon, Grant and Johnny were having a ball out jumping and out hustling the Croydon boys. Bec knew they'd have to take 4 times as many shots to score the same number of goals as their more accurate opponents, and they were making it happen by recycling beautifully and denying Croydon possession. The blues were in bits, and they showed it by missing two penalties. General shellshock greeted the half-time whistle, with Bec ahead 5-2 through means known only to themselves.

Bec knew it would be difficult to match the suffocating of that first half in the second, as the injury toll and fatigue of a tough, long season caught up with them. This translated into barely perceptible changes, a late challenge here and a few inches short on distance there. Unfortunately, one thing Bec would learn during the weekend is that at top level every mistake is punished. Two converted free passes and a penalty erased the advantage on the scoreboard, as Croydon showed they were deadly in dead-ball situations. In attack, Bec were finding it easier to fire, as their slick pass movement and dynamic feeding brought them what seemed like hundreds of chances, but the lid on the basket seemed screwed in tighter than on a jar of gherkins. In a pickle and down one goal with 12 minutes to go, Bec threw everything, the kitchen sink and the kitchen itself at Croydon, but just could not find that elusive bucket. Croydon too started looking tired, and the two teams were trading feeble shots like exhausted heavyweight boxers in the 12th round of an epic. Unfortunately, the telling blow was landed by Croydon off a put-back with a minute to go, after a nerve-wrecking stalemate of over 10 minutes in which Bec did everything but score. 7-5 remained the score till the end of the contest, and Bec were out of the cup.

Bec 3 had narrowly lost a match they dominated copiously for 40 minutes. There was a tremendous amount of positives to point out: the defence had once again been stellar, conceding less goals to Croydon than many more star-studded line-ups had during the season, including Trojans, Nottingham and Bec's own firsts. Team play was on occasion sizzling, as in the case of Grant and Lauren's goals, and the post war was won comfortably. More importantly than that, Bec had played a great game but had looked entirely at ease. However, none of that mattered much at the time, and Bec were refreshingly disappointed to have lost a golden opportunity to spring the shock of the year.

Invicta 15-5 Bec III: Ambush by tranquillizer

There was barely any time to attend to shattered dreams and hamstrings, as within an hour Bec were back in action, this time against Invicta Sharks, who had been soundly beaten by Trojans. The less said about this game the better; Bec turned up still wondering what might have been and smarting mentally and physically. This was unwise against a system of play combining the least entertaining aspects of korfball for maximum returns from a minimum of effort, pace and entertainment. Rebound defence, snail-pace blocking and a considerable degree of arm-twisting directed at the man with the whistle are ways to play korfball that make the game into a boring, much-ado-about-nothing celebration of dullness, but they are supremely effective against lapses in concentration and tired legs. Bec therefore found themselves overcome by a combination of pinpoint accuracy and interminable tedium, and succumbed to both.

The general hibernative (is that a word? it is now!) mood should not take away from a couple of excellent performances. The first was that of Craig Weeks, keeper of the Head-Fake, who scored two spectacular shots that briefly woke everybody up. The first was a long-bomb that sizzled flat and true; the second one was as close as anybody will get to a rolling maul goal in korfball, as Weeksy left behind a trail of flattened bodies of both sexes and belonging to both teams before tucking away the grannybucket. Is that what happened or did we all dream the same dream while put to sleep by the Sharks brand of ball? Hard to say really, but well done to Weeksy. The second great display of korf magic was by the supporters spearheaded by Bec 1, who chanted and cheered throughout and kept the Bec alive for the longest hour of any of their lives and for the entire weekend. The other scorers were Annie, Catherine and Kitman, to great applause but to no avail in the context of the game.

The score was an irrelevant 15-5, and the Bec had allowed more than 8 goals for the first time in the season. The usual defensive brilliance had been smashed by sorrow from the first game and sheer boredom from the second, and there was relief when the whistle went.

Kwiek 12-7 Bec III: A feast of a game to end a feast of a season

After the anticlimax of Saturday afternoon, Sunday brought about an emotional farewell for the Bec 3 class of 2008/9. The last game together for a remarkable team that had been together for many a weekend and many a Wednesday night, and coach Donald demanded that the game be a celebration of all that was good about the season past. Even he might have been caught out by how literally the team took to his words, as they poured out every ounce of energy, focus, intensity and emotion left in them.

The familiar orange of Kwiek stood in the way of this outburst. Ranked 4th in the country and about to play for the National League title, they would be the toughest opponent ever faced by Bec 3 and they had taken Bec 1 to a golden goal in their quarter-final.

Once more, Bec 3 did not seem to take notice of any of that. Having swapped the yellow Hummels for the black Pumas, they seemed to also have left behind the bad memories and habits from the day before, and put in a first-half display that was breath-takingly inspired and disciplined at the same time. Having mislaid his radar on Saturday, Ingmar promptly got the party rolling with a gorgeous long bomb off his first shot, while kwiekness from the Kwiek earned them a penalty at the other end to bring the scores level. The move of the match then saw the twin towers of Edinburgh, Simon and Grant, mesmerise their defenders with a rapid combination for Simon to finish from the baseline with a swish and a flourish.

The whole first half looked like a case of men versus boys, as the rapid one-shot attacks by Kwiek contrasted vividly with the carefully constructed and well-recycled offensives of the Bec. Johnny, Grant and Simon were everywhere around the basket, and Bec looked once again comfortable against illustrious opposition. But Kwiek had played at this level a whole season and it showed, as they tucked away every half-chance near the basket to take the lead at 3-2 and then 4-3. That was the score at the half, and Donald's plans to give everyone a game had to change to account for the fact that Bec might be in a position to go for the most improbable of wins.

The magic display of korfball continued unabated after the break, as the teams traded baskets and Bec's utter domination of the post was balanced with Kwiek's better handling and pace. But Bec wanted it more to start with, and Catherine Weller's 3rd bomb in as many games was followed by a textbook Ingmar drive-and-switch to Johnny, who was all clear and made no mistake from mid-range. 6-5 to the men and women in black, and the boys and girls in orange were within a hair's breadth of calling home for their mummies. But once more Bec were running on fumes and ran out prematurely, while Kwiek kept their train a'rolling and started to reap the benefits of youth. Suddenly the Bec shooting started going alarmingly short, while Kwiek kept the scoreboard ticking one way. Will and the shouts of the partisan crowd kept the Bec standing till the final whistle, but 5 unanswered goals in the last 10 minutes were testament to the better conditioning and superior skill of the National League side, who ended the game at full throttle, winning 12-7.

This time, no heads dropped in disappointment. Smiles all round and a few tears signalled a wonderful end to a brilliant season, in which Bec 3 went from winning by default against a Trojans 3 no-show to standing tall against the 4th best team in the country. That's quite the metamorphosis, and the merit must be heaped on the deserving shoulders of the man with the short shorts and his supporting crew (Tamara, Jackie, Annie and the rest of the management team), for taking a team as far as its collective ability could carry it. That is what makes the memories of ups and downs alike so powerful, and what transformed the number 3 from a designation of a lower order team to a mark of distinction.

For all of us, there may be bigger games and greater occasions on court and in life. But we'll always be able to look back upon Bec 3 as a beautifully understated example of a promise fulfilled. Few things are better.

Remarkable one-man brawl ruined by good game of korfball

The Londoner's week is a mixture of rain, crashing markets and currency, growing unemployment and insane traffic woes. Good thing there's such a thing as Sunday sport to let the thunder within come out. All the better if one has a captive audience. Fortunately, the audience in question consisted of two teams involved in a physical and entertaining game of korfball, which will be remembered for a couple of other things beyond one man's apparent inability to make his own head explode in apoplexy, in spite of making every effort to bring that climactic cataclysm about.

The fixture was the last of the league calendar, and to their credit Woking made sure Bec would be unable to let their foot off the accelerator as they had done in previous games. They also provided a much needed barometer of the yellows' fitness by matching the intensity in spite of being outplayed in the skill and strategy department. There was much mutual gnashing of teeth and pumping of fists, but with one notable exception this was done in sporting competition and with no malicious intent. Two teams were both determined they were going to leave it all on the court, and they made sure they did. This did not make for a purists' classic: If Bec had to put a penny in a jar everytime they scored 10 or more in the last two months and then take a penny out for everytime they conceded more than 7, there would be no need for pennies.

But Bec were happy to be challenged to let the animal within out, in accordance with the match instructions issued by coach D through his trusted sidekick Tam. Big Bad Bears Johnny and Weeksy, Silky Smooth Wolverines Wee-K and Lainey, and Deadly Felines Ingmar, Lauren and the Blaze (alongside Primate-tamer Simon - ed. note - the one with the sanity) came out strong and promptly let in an inspired shot from far out with no counterpart Bear in sight. Ingmar responded by sinking his first shot, and the teams began the merchant trade in goals. For once this season, Bec became a net exporter of goals early, and their flow was constant if unimpressive, while the other team's tap was once again forced shut by some aggressive defense. Simon (ed. note - the one with the friendly teammates) proved his tickling has improved tremendously, and two carbon-copy lovely runs by Ingmar were converted with ease by drop-offs from Johnny. All this was facilitated by excellent support work from Laura and Elaine, who got dynamic with their feeding, and by sustained pressure from Lauren and Kitman, who was for once spotted firing at will (Will wasn't happy). To compound the misery/hysterics, Annie was brought on and punctuated Bec's superiority, first with a trademark slant and drive and then with a pinpoint free pass which swooshed through the basket while the Skipper was upended on the follow-through for being so annoyingly good.

Special big ups also go to Simon (ed. note - the one with the manners) who had manners and kept them fairly well on display throughout; on that evidence, he should manage Walsall.

And big ups to Bec overall, who kept the COMPOOOOSURE throughout and the scoreboard ticking slowly over, and showed that they are worthy champions. 3 weeks to crunchtime, set your alarms for Bec o'clock.

Tick - tack, tick - tack.

Scorers: THE BEC (8)

Achilles turns in his grave

In a crazy world where the pound sterling is ecstatic if it reaches 1.1 euros, it should come as no surprise that people are beginning to lose track of good and bad. In a world where North Korea shocks the world by missing its target by a few thousand miles it should come as no surprise that people no longer understand the difference between scoring and missing. Even that does not excuse the performance of Bec 3, who shamed the myth by bringing democracy and benevolent rule to Troy instead of utter annihilation.

It's always the same, some would argue, and they would not be entirely wrong. 3 goals in the first half, 9 goals in all and an attacking fury whose futility was only exceeded by the usual defensive brilliance of the Hummel eight. With memory hazy long after a match to forget, details are sparse, but what is certain is that Bec arrived late, started badly and ended the first half angry. It was 3-3 and all the yellows were seething. With coach D missing, the half-time huddle resembled the floor of the Stock Exchange on a sunny day in 2007, as everyone put their penny's worth in and more in an effort to extract the X-factor from words of great enthusiasm and collective wisdom.

Oddly enough, it worked. Bec went back on court with a vengeance, hit the NOs button and used up their usual 10 minutes of unerring inspiration. While the Trojans were probably wondering how you can fit so many goals into one teeny wooden horse, the yellow tide pillaged and plundered at will, accompanied by delighted screams of COMPOSURE from the ToeTwister. The girls were letting it pour where before it had drizzled, the boys were floating where before they were tumbling, and for that magic 10 minutes Trojans barely took a single shot while the Bec suffocated them with possession, position and positive movement. The introduction of Ingmar and Simon helped quicken the pace, but with the game iced at 9-4 Bec once again pulled hard on the handbreak and locked the cruise control in 3rd gear.

Mythology tells us that Greek complacency let Aeneas out of Troy and was therefore responsible for the advent of the Roman Empire. No such consequences were met with this time and little actual pillaging took place, although the ref favoured it whenever the opportunity arose. Bec showed glimpses of the killer instinct, but the city was not razed to the ground and the hosts actually mounted a counter-attack to make the score more respectable than the myth suggests it should have been. 9-6 to the Bec.

Bec had the league title in the bag and they played like it. The game will have served as a good wake-up call to remind the mighty yellows that resting on laurels is as risky a business as falling asleep at the wheel of a Fiat Panda, and that the job is not yet done till the gravitationally challenged lady sings, preferably on a sunny Trinity Sunday afternoon.

Scorers: THE BEC (9

A recipe for success

With our regular Bec 3 correspondent off on his travels skiing, our weekly report will come from our food editor…

What is the recipe for success for winning the London 2 league? Well Bec three have the answer: team work, commitment, a mean defence and putting the ball through the basket. All these things were on display against Croydon 3.

For starters, the match was delayed waiting for the ref and Bec kept composed by keeping the oven warm. For you junior chefs out there it is important to stay close to the action and if you need glasses then opticians are useful – it tends to make decisions easier. But never fear, dodgy decisions wouldn’t ruin the feast that was Bec.

With Coach Donald away, Coach Brady stood in and took care of proceedings stressing that being calm and having fun were the order of the day (and, of course, winning). Fortress Graveney would be the place where new memories would be made…

In attack Laura, Catherine, Giancarlo and Ingmar started attacking the Croydon basket. Shots were going up and were peppering the basket, Ingmar putting the ball in to go 1-0 up. Paitence is the key part of cooking many a good meal (think risotto) and Bec played with patience until a runner from Ingmar put the yellows two goals ahead. The defence of Craig, Simon, Elaine and Annie holding out well and restricting Croydon shots. When the ends switched over, it was obvious that Bec were cooking on high as the pace was upped and the attack produced two quick goals from Elaine and a Simon penalty. Not to be out done, Catherine and Giancarlo quickly plundered two more. Bec were frying their opposition 6-0. Croydon were always dangerous and Paul Jeanes was causing problems but the hard defensive work of Giancarlo and Ingmar were restricting them continually. By half time Annie and Ingmar had scored and the scoreline was reading 8-2.

Coach Brady took the half time team talk to remind the team that you never leave a boiling pan and to keep their eye on the game. Keep calm, take stock, enjoy it and work for it. It was time to take it to Croydon once again.

Bec started pinging the ball around again and immediately Simon scored a well earned runner. Soon after Craig (dressed in his newly knitted ‘Putney Football Club’ socks) fired a long shot in. A runner from Ingmar brought the score to 11-3. The heated battle between the vocal and pushy Croydon girl with Annie and Elaine continued with Bec having the last laugh as Annie quickly turned and scored on her (leading to mass shouting in the Croydon ranks, if you can’t stand the heat then get out of the Graveney…). 12-4 the score. The war between Paul Jeanes and Giancarlo continued but there would only be one winner, the yellow kind, as Giancarlo dropped quickly from the post and put in his second to raptous applause for a great goal. To rub salt into the wounds Laura followed it up with a mid range shot and it was looking like the icing on the cake. Surely nothing more could be added to this recipe last minute…Annie thought differently, took the ball and slotted in a mid range shot while Craig (this time managing to keep his glasses on his face) followed it up with a veer down the side to put in his second.

The final whistle, like the alarm on the cooker screamed ‘dinner is served’. In food terms Bec 3 are like a top class three course meal finished off with strawberry cheesecake and fine wine. Now, anyone else would kick their shoes off, sit on the sofa with a coffee and nurse, in a warm glow of pride, the food baby in their stomach. But Bec 3 aren’t anyone else, they are ready for the cup and the celebrations will have to wait until then….

Final score 16-4

Ingmar 4, Annie 3, Craig 2, Giancarlo 2, Simon 2, Laura 1, Elaine 1, Catherine 1

Achtung! Becfeuer!

Every club that has played Bec 3 this season will likely need to check their posts to make sure they are still round. Christ's school in Richmond was no exception Sunday, as the yellows inflicted such a concerted bombardment on the sides, front and top of the West London baskets, that it will be a surprise if architects are not called in to build tower blocks amid the wreckage. Under the cattenaccio philosophy that scoring is over-rated, Bec did however find their usual inspiration on the defensive end to record a comfortable victory that had less glamour and more grit to it than Martin Keown and Tony Adams combined.

An hour's warm-up was clearly not enough to get the Bec in shape, as the first 12 minutes were spent with Annie, Wee-Kit and Weeksy trying their best to remember where the basket was only to see their guesses fail, most of the time by mere inches. The ball was flowing well but to no avail, and to put it in W-language, frustrification was growing. At the other end, the Twin towers of Giancarlo and Johnny were poaching and blamming away and new recruit Tamara and bad-omen Catherine kept their attackers from shooting altogether. With the scorers still not troubled after 12 minutes, Annie finally found the elusive hole. It had taken 27 shots (and presumably 27 new gray hairs on Coach D's head), but finally je korfball godsh kould schtopp turning in jeir gravesch: the Bec were back with it, and Annie punctuated that point with punctuality 2 minutes later to halt the slow-clapping from the crowds who had paid good money for access to this classic.

The floor was as slippery as a greased-up fish in a bowl of liquid soap, and the korfball on display was probably just as tasty, but after a bit more Bambi-style probing, schexiness was finally unearthed in the form of a well-worked diagonal pass to Tamara, who took one step back and one lovely shot forward, and found the bottom of the basket. West London kept in touch with a penalty, and the teams were given a reprieve from their respective shooting nightmares by the referee's half-time whistle. 3-1 to Bec, and even coach D's usual eloquence failed him. Bec were playing perplexingly good korfball, but failing to convert, and traces of a banana skin were showing in the distance.

But as has has been the case in past times with good company, the start of the second half saw the real Bec finally show up, led by captain Annie, who sank a couple more beauties. Wee-Kit made way for the Blaze and Grant replaced G-max, and the yellows found second gear to put some distance between themselves and an increasingly incoherent West London attack. This incoherence did not stop them draining a halfway line shot with no rebounder near, but this was merely a blip in 25 minutes of overwhelming hummel dominance (and we all so love a good bleep). Tamara scored another stunning long 'un and even Johnny joined the missile launch party, and the game was duly (or dully) decided.

9-2 then and a good finish relative to the start. Mission accomplished as far as the girls carrying the day, and great to see the Great Wall of Bec defence stand up to another attempted invasion by pesky marauders. As far as the long-range guided missiles go, the research and development department needs to get back to the drawing-board, but positivists will tell you that progress is inevitable and ineffable, and so is Bec Three's destiny. We will get better. And we will rock you.

When the going gets tough, the Bec get tougher

Even by their own admission, Bec have been gathering a number of superlatives this season. On Sunday in Epsom, they added a key ingredient to any great season, and one which ends not in an exclamation, but with a question mark: the ability to say "So what?" (words such as $%£ing, !¬*ding, @#!ing added for additional emphasis are optional).

To say "So what?" is essential when the elements conspire to place an obstacle down the final stretch of a tiring season, and when doubt is trying its best to creep into a team's preparation for a match. Bec 3 headed into Sunday's showdown with Nomads without the combined scoring credetials of Ingmar, Lauren and Laura (editor's note to these guys - this win's for y'all), missing through no fault of their own, and without the inspirational presence of coach D, who thought an underage party was cooler (not that he would be alone in the korfball world in that respect). With a fresh-looking line-up including the tall presence of Giancarlo and the equally tall Annie and Emma O'C combined, Bec shrugged their collective shoulders and, without hesitation or even a hint of mild irritation, got on with it. The result was a clinical, relentless offensive, with 8 Man-of-the-match performances that brought about a deserved victory.

Early on this looked like an even battle. Bec had size aplenty under the post from the boys and girl firepower to match Charlie's Angels, while Nomads had bursts of speed, set moves and the experience to exploit any glaring errors. So Bec scored through sharpshooting from Emma, Elaine and Grant, as well as a put-back and a penalty from Johnny, while the hosts replied through a combination of rapid ball recycling in the rebound, spectacular long shots and cheeky step-arounds. With the score at a frantic 5-5, Bec reverted to the mandatory 10 minutes of throwing everything and the kitchen sink at the basket to no avail, and the clear domination of possession and shot count appeared futile. But the yellows were wearing their opponents down while starving them of possession, Simon, Grant and Giancarlo were owning the post and all around it and so everyone kept shooting with an abandon as gay as a sizeable French dude all dressed up in lace in a pink candy store in Brighton. Half time came and went with the scores still level at 5, and the Nomads basket likely deformed by a carpet bombing worse than a friendly visit from the Luftwaffe.

"So what?" said the Bec, and came back firing some more. This time, someone had either moved the target or put homing devices on it, and for 10 magical minutes the Hummels refused to miss. Long bombs from Elaine and Emma at one end and multiple short combinations under the post between Grant, Catherine, Annie and Simon at the other left Nomads stunned and silenced a home partisan gathering. Before anyone could figure out quite what the Bec was going on, the score had gone from 5-5 to 11-6, the yellows were everywhere in defence and nowhere to be caught in attack, and they were enjoying themselves tremendously. But they were not letting go of the intensity, and Johnny was lucky not to be booked after issuing a clear and obscene suggestion to the ref and thereafter downing his opponent with an accidental haymaker. The victim got his own back in the best way possible by running past #77, only to be halted in his tracks by the gentle, and yet massive kablam of Giancarlo. The reds were trying a semblance of a comeback, but Elaine put the game on ice with another stunner before Giancarlo capped a glorious solo performance under the post with a drop-off jumper.

Bec had eased the throttle by the time Nomads resorted to rebound defence, but the end of the game was upon them, and the score was unequivocal. 14-8 to the yellows, with all Bec players on the scoresheet, and most of them looking remarkably fresh at the end of a physical, hard-fought encounter. Many thanks to the vocal and high-pitched support surely entirely unrelated to the presence of Ruthie and Mel courtside and to the restless keeper of the camera.

Work done, and the yellows head back to work. The division title is inches away, but the road to the Cup goes through 3 National League outfits. So what?

Scorers: Elaine 4, Annie 2, Grant 2, Johnny 2, Catherine 1, Emma 1, Simon 1, Giancarlo 1.

The Whisker Revolutions: Bec 3 back from the Stratosphere, but not off the top spot

Having made a mockery of their seeding in the Cup one week earlier, Bec 3 came back to Fort Graveney ready to banish the ghosts of the early season (see The Whisker and the Whisker reloaded). North Downs had twice tried to put a sizeable spanner into the works in both Cup and league by winning both of the previous encounters 8-7 on the back of long shooting from the boys and excellent support work by their girls. Interestingly, both spanners proved futile, with Bec somehow still in the Cup and still on top of the league. Nevertheless, Bec wanted revenge and were determined to gain it by means of better conditioning, girl-on-girl action and, oh yes, the X factor!

The conditioning aspect was there, even though the shock inclusion of Liam Clarke brought new meanings to the phrase "strength in depth", and Emma O'C was rebounding from a pretty impressive ankle injury. Bec were quicker around the court, but struggled to make it count, with the size of Graveney proving a real hindrance. However, early on Johnny and Simon were dominating the rebounding comfortably, so there seemed to be no reason why long shooting would be a problem, particularly given the sniper talent on show, and 10-shot attacks were the norm of the first 10 minutes, when Bec went ahead 1-0 and 2-1. But the ball seemed to have a plan of its own, and that clearly did not include the basket.

Also hindering the yellow offensive tide was an injury to one of the North Downs girls, who fell awkwardly on Lauren's ankle and could not resume play. With no substitutes available, North Downs had to play one short, which meant that Catherine Weller would have to take over rebounding duties, and with Johnny's long-range missiles proving as accurate as usual (about as close to the target as a North Korean test launch), the numerical superiority actually ended up hurting the Bec chances. At the other end, Bec ended up on the wrong side of a number of refereeing decisions, as the man with the whistle seemed to have no tolerance, sympathy, or discretion with regard to contact. North Downs proved mechanically adept at taking set pieces and somewhere a hog could be heard flapping its wings as Bec went into the half-time huddle down 3-2. There was a lot of positives, not least Laura's stunning goal before the break and the beauty of the Bec ball-movement, but as medics are known to say, Aesthetics is not an anaesthetic (say that 20 times fast!), and no amount of gorgeous passing could make up for the hard facts shown on the scoresheet.

And so Bec put away the easel and soft brush for the second half and brought out the heavy artillery. North Downs were gifted another penalty to make the score a surreal 4-2, but Bec started to use their numerical and fitness advantages to let it rain from all corners of the court. Weeksy replaced Johnny with precise orders to keep his defender busy using a combination of head faking and running quite a lot, while Lauren and Ingmar peppered the basket at every opportunity, with Catherine out hustling her imaginary defender and ignoring the attentions of the North Downs poachers to secure most of the rebounds. Simon similarly provided ample presence under the post in the other division for Emma O'C, Liam and the Blaze to shoot at, and goals finally started coming. 2 more baskets by Lauren, and one each by Laura, Simon and Emma brought the score to 7-4, while yet another free pass allowed North Downs back within 2. Catherine was finally replaced under the post by Lauren and celebrated by sinking one soon thereafter, and there was joy also for Ingmar following an excellent battle with Ian of North Downs. With the score at 9-6 and 5 minutes remaining, the game seemed to be on ice, but Bec started to show sloppiness in attack and a little too much eagerness in defence, and a lucky ricochet allowed North Downs to come back to 2 goals down. And some drunken god of korf who had had one too many Dutch brownies seemed to be meddling with fate and Bec's collective heart rate when a penalty was once again gifted to North Downs in the last minute. We all know what Ruth Campbell would have said with regard to that call, but fortunately the conversion of the penalty was the last act of the game, and Bec emerged victorious 9-8.

Celebrations were fairly muted by Bec standards, even though the yellows are now inches away from the league title. It had been said earlier in the season that all Bec needed to do to beat North Downs was score 9, and they had, but only just. It was a great day for the girls, particularly Lauren and Laura, but much more will be needed from everyone before the next epic Cup battle, and the X-factor was nowhere to be seen. So back to work, Bec, we have a long way to go still before the final Hallelujah. 

Like warm apple pie: Bec 3's fling with the Cup reaches a glorious third base

The game that Bec 3 had picked early in the season as a benchmark for their progress was finally upon them. At stake was an opportunity to end the season against and in front of the powerhouses of English korfball rather than in an anonymous away fixture in the London Second Division, and to prove that the yellows could take the game to a team placed 2 divisions above them. Never one to be satisfied with such mere trifles, Coach Donald demanded that Bec produce team history, memories to be remembered, re-enacted and re-embellished for years to come. The target was set at 10 years, economic cycle permitting.

Coach Donald needn't have worried, as nobody involved is going to forget this game in a hurry, and one has to feel for Simon's grandchildren. "Tell us a fairytale Gramps".

"Once upon a time there was a big red menace called The Highbury, which rose to regional power through cunning, speed and enough drop-off shots and earned penalties to sink an oil tanker. This menace kept growing and getting more cunning, and was looking to challenge the establishment for domination over the land of Eka.

The only foe that showed itself worthy of barring their red menacing way was a little team of bold, cheeky and above all devilishly schexschy young lads and lasses known as The Bec Three. There was 12 of them.

And guiding them was a man of wise words for his age, named after a Mighty Duck and whose superpowers included begetting what looked remarkably like a small camel. And he called upon the 3 to smite the red menace with such weapons as were available, such as long bombs, superior agility and something frightful called the X-factor. He did not need to remind them that help could also be sought from the terrifying Beast of Evers, which was the twin brother of the mild-mannered member of the 3 known as Ingmar. Never were the twain seen together, and such was the difference between the gentleness of one and the ruthlessness of the other that it was difficult to believe they were brothers. However, the deadly head fake would not be available for the fight, as the keeper of Weeks was grounded by dodgy joints of the non-hallucinogenic kind. Using words of wisdom far beyond his age, the keeper of Weeks did however verily remind them that the red menace had been slain before."

By this point Grandpa Taylor will be sound asleep and the children will likely be bored ####less due to the numerous digressions and cumbersome language. So maybe it would be better to tell it like it happened.

Bec took to the court grim in determination but cheerful in disposition and within a minute, they were ahead through some schexschy work in the low post, as Ingmar charged in, caught a no-look, behind-the-back bounce pass from Johnny and finished with minimal fuss and maximal accuracy. A stunning combination that set Bec rolling and caused unusually high-pitch vocal excitement from the bench from Weeksy. Within a minute, Higbury had equalised with a long shot which they're unlikely to even be able to practice at their home court. Coach D had predicted a low scoring affair, but seemingly neither team had heard him early on. Barely 2 more minutes passed before Simon, Annie and Laura combined beautifully once more to set up Grant for a well-taken granny-bucket, while Highbury responded with a regulation half-court heave that swished out of virtually nowhere. Two immediate lessons needed to be learnt: Bec were going to be challenged like never before this season, but equally they were dictating play rather than just holding their own. The yellows took heart and also took the lead again, with Lauren dropping behind the post and drilling a mid-range rainbow. An excellent opening 15 minutes was capped off by Johnny once again producing a good assist in the low post and Catherine earning a penalty, duly converted by Ingmar. 4-2, and Bec were showing no signs of inhibition or stage fright. A good opportunity to build a healthy buffer was lost when Grant's next goal was disallowed for reasons known only to the man with the whistle, while Highbury showed great spirit to come back with another long shot and a slightly dubious penalty. Half-time came with the score at 4-4, and only a fool or a banking executive would bet his house on the outcome. Bec had produced flair, pace and handling to dominate proceedings, while Highbury had made every shot count.

The second half began tentatively, with both teams apparently exhausted already. Tired passing and short shooting made for single-shot attacks on both ends until Lauren and Catharine worked together beautifully to set up another drive from the marauding Ingmar, and Bec found themselves ahead once more. At the other end, Highbury looked to capitalise on their girls' height advantage, and after repeated possessions they were able to score from close range. For the first time in the game, Bec started to look a little tired, and an over-stretched lunge brought about a free pass, which Highbury executed with precision. For the first time in the game, the reds were ahead, and Bec looked like they needed to regroup. Times like this, when passes stop working and the brain freezes is when great seasons are made or unravelled, and this one was on a knife-edge sharper than a safety pin used to tie one's zipper when wardrobe malfunctions plague one's jeans. This is when the X factor comes to the fore, in various guises. In this instance, it was the hallowed Bec 3 shut-out defence, which held firm amid chaotic attacking, and a moment of inspiration from Simon, who let it rain from a mile back with no rebounder in sight to bring the scores back level. Both elements provided a huge lift for Bec, who found new freshness in tired legs and the stomach for a fight to the end.

Some strange refereeing decisions provided an interesting side story, with the whistle blown for almost anything, including "standing on the base of the post" for a free pass. However, both teams were determined to keep the focus on their frantic battle, and a minute after Simon's screamer, Lauren once more found room and zipped past her defender to give Bec the lead for the umpteenth time. With 5 minutes left, Ingmar then darted in, veered sharply and drained a beauty to seemingly put the game on ice. But Highbury would not relent, and they found the strength to score twice in the final 3 minutes to bring the scores level.

For the first time in the Bec season, a game would be decided by golden goal. Tensions were high, Donald's vocal chords were beginning to fail him, but fortunately little more needed to be said. Both teams clearly wanted this win badly, and sheer will and a clear head would have to separate them where skill, speed and accuracy failed to do so. Highbury had the first attack, but failed to put a shot up, while at the other end a number of chances went long or sideways, and 5 eerie and nervous minutes passed with neither team able to find that elusive delivery. While Highbury went down the route of rapid runs and breathless acceleration, Bec brought it back to basics with a stable post and dynamic feeds, and one such feed found Ingmar streaking and veering wide once more, in a carbon copy move to his previous goal. Same accurate pass, same nerves of steel, and same result. Swoosh, set and match, and the epic celebrations could start.

A team performance with a number of outstanding individual contributions, best summarised by the Wordmeister Weller: "I can't tell if I've been sweating this much or I've just been hugging you". Way to spread the love and the effort, in a dogged struggle which could easily have gone either way. Credit must be given to Highbury for coming from behind time and again with relentless determination, and to all the contributors to an outstanding Bec victory for believing in it from beginning to end.

It's not certain whether Simon's grandkids will have to suffer this tale. Epic and inspiring it certainly was, but it was far from a fairytale, David and Goliath type affair. On paper, Bec 3 beat a first team 2 echelons above them. In reality, the better team on the day won not in an upset, but in a confirmation of their collective skill, determination and faith in one another and in the coach. When reality's this good, who needs fairytales? So, who's next?

BEC 3 in shock Maths discovery: 8-7 = 20-3

This game was all about the complex equations of the korfball game: could 8th place beat 1st with only 7 players at Fort Graveney? "No" was the resounding answer, and only one unknown failed to be addressed: where the Bec was the Trojan ref? This time no thousand ships were launched, each team covered refereeing duties and not a wooden horse in sight.

Coach Donald referred to another equation before the game, urging the boys to dominate the post and the girls to provide the firepower. The result? 75% of the goals scored by the XYs. Brilliant reverse technology from the coach and well done to the squad for falling for it, none more so than Ingmar, who sniffed out a chance to further pad his statistics and scored 7 baskets from every angle in the textbook of Wicker. The only thing missing was a dunk, but we fully expect the Spine Chiller Supreme to surface in the next match (example of how it's done on youtube). At the other end, it was Simon and Grant who were scoring heavily, combining for a further 7 Scottish ticklers, while Catherine and Laura seized the numeric advantage to outrebound the West London boys. So much for coach D's game plan.

The team did however heed his words about treating the game with the relentless focus that will be needed at the money end of the season. Elaine scored 10 seconds into the game, Johnny sent two defenders home with bruises from post battles, Sally, Grant and Donkey Eyes Simon Taylor intercepted every loose ball available and Weeksy and Annie brought freshness from the bench late in the game.

The game was effectively over 10 minutes in, when the score was already 8-0, but Bec did not let up and provided some excellent entertainment to the spectators, which included a fluffy camel and what came to be described by Catherine the Wordmeister Weller as the "gimp reaper". Surely Freudian slip of the year, and one that no amount of profiterol will wash away. The beers thereafter were well deserved and Bec 3 can rest for the next couple of weekends and look forward to a mouthwatering Cup tie against Highbury.

Scorers: Ingmar 7, Simon 4, Grant 3, Elaine 2, Annie 1, Laura 1, Catherine 1, Johnny 1

Bec 3 turn on the schexfest

Sitting pretty at the top of their Division, Bec 3 turned to new challenges beyond the seemingly simple task of maintaining their unbeaten record at home: set and match personal goals, gel as units and as a team, suffocate with pressure and put on a show for the kids, club mates and friends assembled at Fort Graveney. They then turned words into action in their most accomplished performance to date.

The opposition in this case was a well drilled Woking side which, while lacking heavyweight names, showed that they had a plan and tried to execute it as best they could. With the referee showing less tolerance towards contact than your average Spanish inquisitor to a female swimming champion, within 10 seconds of the start Woking were awarded a free pass and subsequently a penalty, thus taking a lead that was not necessarily undeserved, but definitely unexpected. Skipper Annie shrugged this off in the best way possible, and her first shot swooshed from mid-range to bring the scores level. 1 goal from each side within a minute of the start, and one could be forgiven for expecting a shoot-out. Far from it, as Bec's defence went into tic-arse tight mode, while their attack decided it was time for a quick game of dodgeball with the basket. 10 long minutes and endless near-misses later, Sally got bull-dozed under the post and Ingmar put away the penalty to bring Bec back into the lead, but a half-way bomb from Woking put the lid back on the scoring. It looked like a tight score and a flurry of curses would be the result at half-time, but this, as Ingmar pointed out before the game, is no average team. In spite of the basket seemingly eluding any shot put up by the yellows, they showed resilience and persistence, sticking with an attack that was moving the ball beautifully and creating the chances, and the reward was that for 2 minutes the wicker gods finally smiled upon proceedings, and 3 consecutive shots went in from Simon, Annie and Sally to give Bec a deserved lead.

After half-time, the floodgates were forced open by more of the same attacking relentlessness, with Ingmar dominating the post and scoring the put-back in spite of a considerable height disadvantage, Catherine completing a dazzling 7-pass weave with a gorgeous runner and Sally and Ingmar connecting from long range. It was a fabulous passage of play (also featuring a nice goal from Woking), and Bec looked like they were enjoying themselves tremendously, none more so than Coach D. With the result seemingly safe, Laura, Johnny and Giancarlo were brought on and carried on in the same merry spirit, combining well with the more tired legs to shut down the Woking attack, while at the other end Ingmar, Annie and Catherine scored one more each to put the game on ice. The cherry on the cake was provided by Laura Blazey, who added another great shot to her repertoire of goals from the 4th team match. The final whistle came with Bec still looking fresh at 12-3 ahead, having won every battle on the pitch convincingly and showed a panache worthy of Cyrano de Bergerac. Many thanks go to the vocal home supporters of all ages, shapes and sizes, and rock on the Bec!

Scorers: Annie 3, Ingmar 3, Catherine 2, Sally 2, Laura, Simon

Bec 3 superheroes defeat their foes again

The new season started with a bang for Bec 3 with another convincing win fuelled on mince pies and leftover turkey sandwiches over Croydon 3. The pre-match talk was delivered by ‘Captain America’ Annie with a story of the importance of always being prepared and not over-hydrated.

The first half started with the attacking four of Craig, Elaine, Annie and Ingmar and almost immediately Ingmar popped in a penalty to start another goal scoring mission resulting in four more on his score sheet. The second goal coming from a double pass combination of Craig and ‘Wonder woman’ Elaine and she produced a super shot which resulted in a massive smile from her. The second four of Simon, Liam, Sally and Catherine were next up and our superheroes continued with more good passing and scoring. ‘Mr Fantastic’ Liam started the scoring of his four goals which finally included two long shots, a short shot and a runner. ‘Spiderman’ Simon, who worked hard in collect all game scored a great long shot to be proud of. Following the change over there was tight defence with ‘Catwoman’ Sally intercepting regularly.

A long shot from ‘Iron Man’ Craig after Ingmar had pulled out two defenders was followed with a Batman-esque silent but devastating runner from Ingmar.

Half time beckoned and ‘Professor X’ Donald decided he wanted the superheroes to push harder to save the day.

This was a call that Mighty Mouse would be proud of as Croydon 3 came out with more energy and fight. Of course, this was fine for our superheroes as they amply upped the speed and determination. The half consisted of a long shot from Sally, after Catherine pulled away the defender and then Catherine the ‘Hulk’ felt the rage and scored her running in shot.

With ten minutes to go fresh legs were brought on with ‘Superman’ Yuen replacing Craig. A long shot from Ingmar and a final goal scored with quick thinking from Liam in defence straight to Ingmar to score a runner.

An heroic performance although more will be asked of this team in 2009 and to fight off that Kryptonite, Bec 3 will need to train as hard as ever.

Final score: 13-4

Liam 4, Ingmar 4, Elaine 1, Simon 1, Craig 1, Sally 1, Catherine 1

The 12 days of Bec 3 christmas

14/12/08

12 runners attempted
11 shots a-veered
10 interceptions
9 Bec players a-korfing
8 fans a shouting
7 bounce passes
6 Ingmar goals
5 golden girls
4 shooting boys
3 scored penalties
2 points earned
and a massive win for Bec 3.

With Bec 3 sitting on top of the tree on goal difference, coach Donald wanted Bec 3 to cement their place with a festive performance to remember. Elaine, Annie, Craig and new addition Ingmar started in attack and Ingmar’s presence was felt immediately with the first of his six goals. A strong front defence from Michele, Sally, Grant and Simon meant that a 2-0 lead was established very quickly and it was obvious this game was to be no turkey. Like mulled wine, the goals kept flowing – Annie putting in a sweet long shot, Craig with a cheeky drop off that bounced several times on the edge before falling in, and Grant scoring his first two goals for Bec. The defence was ever present to take the score at half time to 8-0.

Donald, pleased at half time said to the team “great so far, with more intensity yule score more” and that’s what was delivered – like santa with his goodies.

After warming her hands on the fire, Catherine was ready to come on for Michele and blasted in a goal as sweet as pudding. The rest of the second half involved scoring from Simon and Ingmar and a defence tighter that Scrooge’s wallet. Simon knocked in a penalty and two runners while an array of shots from Ingmar dazzled the crowd and included a poetic last minute runner with a quick pass from half way line and a one handed goal. A penalty and a quick goal for Nomads was the only reply – I think we can firmly cross ourselves off their Christmas card list! Final score 15-2

The golden stars of Tooting march on….

Ingmar 6, Simon 4, Grant 2, Annie 1, Craig 1, Catherine 1

No slip-up for Bec 3

Bec 3 left their skates at home for this away tie in the infamous Latchmere ice rink, but definitely brought their shooting skills. After a comfortable and uneventful victory in the home encounter, there was quiet optimism but also the grim determination to erase the memory of a tight loss against North Downs.

Early on the patterns of the game were similar to earlier in the season, although the shocking playing surface and the small court area meant little in the way of downforce or throttle for our experienced runners. It was clear that the game would be won by the heavy artillery when defenders played conservative and from the penalty spot when they didn't. And so it proved, as long bombs in one division and Simon's penalties in the other kept the scorecard ticking over. The Weeksy fake made a welcome return but was less successful - nevertheless he gets credit for sinking a rainbow shot while falling out of bounds that had coach Liam purring "where the hell did that come from??". With Spencer and Annie also feeling love for the hole in the most platonic sense possible and Elaine unerring in collect, Bec went in at the half 6-1 ahead with a couple of gears to spare. The only downside was the referee's neo-contemporary wholistic approach to the defended rule, which was extended to include the apparently unfair advantage gained by Lauren being 60 mph on average faster than her defender.

The rest of the team decided to replicate that speed and precision advantage right after half-time and forced the floodgates even further open, as a dazzling array of moves right out of the korfball textbook of schexschiness brought goals in quick succession for Sally, Annie, Spencer and a screamer of a tickle from Simon. With the game iced and 15 minutes left, Johnny was brought on and gained a penalty with his first touch, 2 defenders combining to make it as obvious as possible. The goal fest continued unabated, and even Supernova joined the party late on, drilling 3 shots to add a tiny measure of respectability to the scoreline.

The 15-4 margin of victory was an accurate representation of the day's proceedings, and a number of positives can be taken, not least the collective appetite for goals (15 goals by 7 people), the disciplined defence which has been the hallmark of Bec, Grant's incident-free return to action (in spite of his livewire intercepting and general bouncing about) and the general pace at which the game was played in spite of the treacherous conditions. The next task will be to replicate these positives against more testing opposition. In the mean time, deux points and no mistake.

Deja vu, or the Whisker Reloaded

If it's true that deja vus are evidence of the existence of the Matrix, it may be time to check our spines for battery cable sockets.

Once again, Bec 3 descended upon Royal Russell to play North Downs. Once again, a balanced first half ended with North Downs ahead 4-3. And once again a spirited Bec comeback in the second half was minutes short of fulfilling the prophecy, with the game ending once again 8-7 to the Downs. And once again, cake was the choice method of drowning the sorrows.

Royal Russel, with its geometrically-challenged court, is always a tricky away fixture, and North Downs did their best to make it more awkward early on, with the boys playing a hybrid of rebound and front defence which Bec struggled to punish. But the early signs were good, Chrissy K showing the range with a long-range guided missile two minutes into the game. At the other end, the Bec defence was holding fort quite comfortably, with Lauren, Annie, Weeksy and Johnny playing composed and making good interceptions. The ball refused to go in at either end for the next 10 minutes, as both teams peppered the basket to no avail. Gravity seemed to be of no consequence when Simon raised his fist in timid celebration, only to see the ball balloon out of the basket having only just gone in, while at the other end a long shot brought the game level.

The momentum shift was visible, with Bec needing to readjust their passing radar, while North Downs went trigger-happy with shots from here, there and everywhere. With the score at 3-1, Simon reaped the rewards of yet another well-tickled shot from downtown, while at the other end the boys were working hard and switching well to shut down the Downs. Unfortunately one such switch proved marginally late and the two-goal margin was restored. North Downs superiority on the scoreboard was also due to a much better understanding of kung fu technique, and one exponent of this clattered Lauren in the face while whizzing past. The step back taken as a result was enough to give her some space, and with the ball still in her grasp she made the space count. 4-3 at half-time.

The second half was a blur of questionable passing, impartially questionable reffing and unquestionable class from Lauren, who repeatedly kept Bec in the game with a flurry of moves, which bamboozled the opposition (and, on occasion, the teammates). The pick of the bunch was a well-worked drop-off pass from Weeksy to Johnny, who found Lauren unmarked as she soared to the basket, switched hands in mid-air and found Annie in space following the defensive switch.

Unfortunately, these moments of class were interspersed with erratic periods when shots went badly astray and the boys did not do enough to secure a certain rebound. Willpower and stamina rather than panache kept Bec in touch throughout, but it was not to be on this particular day, as North Downs escaped with a deserved win by the skin of their pearly whites. The cake at Coombe Lodge was perhaps slightly less sweet than last time around, but we win, lose and eat as a team, come rain, snow or shine (all present at various intervals on Sunday).

Zion will rise again as soon as we've recharged our EMP.

Bec cruises to a win against Supernova.

Following a pre-season long enough to comprise 6 Black Mondays, 4 Champions League rounds and 2 Bec socials, Bec 3 finally got their regular season underway on Sunday with a home tie against Supernova 1.

Coach Donald had called for the yellows to make Graveney a fortress and an opposition Graveyard, then promptly missed the game, which only showed the extent of his confidence that this could be achieved easily.

Early on indication was that this was going to be an awkward game, with the opposition playing aggressive front defence on and often beyond the pass line, combined with an attack system most likely borrowed from another sport involving a rod and a reel. Bec 3 did not take the bait and kept up the solid defence of the perimeter that has been one of the hallmarks of their success so far. Another has been the appetite for destruction shown by the seasoned ladies of our offence, which came to the fore once again.

This time separated by a halfway line for better balance, Annie and Michelle continued the scoring binge of yester week, ably supported by the boys, who owned the post and all around it. 4-0 at halftime and the Hummels were cruising.

In the second half Nova were sprung into action by a well-taken first goal, and another followed shortly to add to the surreal appearance of the scoreboard, given the total dominance of the home side. Bec did not help themselves with some sub-prime passing, but several minutes of stalemate were ended when Catherine found Weeksy on the sideline for a howitzer that went flat and true, and Bec were on their way again.

Once the referee finally realised that the whistle is not only a mark of distinction but also a blowing instrument, the yellows were rightly awarded two penalties, converted nervelessly by Michael and Weeksy, and the game was put on ice. With less than 10 minutes on the clock, Elaine and Chrissy K. came off the bench, and Elaine made coach Jackie look inspired by slotting home the first ball she touched, and the whistle went with Bec victorious 9-2.

Overall not a game for the purists and certainly not one for the ages, years or even minutes, but a clinical win where the yellow tide lay waste all in its path with refreshing ease. And the best news is that the season is finally nigh.

Bec 9 - 2 Supernova

Giant killing by proxy - Bec 3 eat their way into the next round

02/11/08

Bec 3 arrived in Croydon for the group stages of the EKA Cup fit, eager and ready to finally kick-start the season. Inspirational talk from Donald, Jackie and Annie before the first game shifted emotions to second gear and the team stepped on the court to do battle. Bec 8 - 9 North Downs - The whisker First up was a match against the group seeds, National League - caliber North Downs, a team of tried and tested veterans who combined experience, height advantage and the willingness to let rip from almost anywhere on the pitch to dominate possession in the early exchanges. By contrast Bec were incisive, aggressive to the basket and tight in defence, with the M&M section of Michelle, Mel, Michael and Matt in particular making some key interceptions. Having put up close to a hundred shots, North Downs went in at the half with a 4-3 advantage and would surely look to keep banking on the law of averages. To counter that, coach Donald sent in Johnny and Chrissy K. in the second half to provide some much needed height and girth under the post. North Downs continued to go down the aerial route, with two goals from the half-way line, while Bec responded with a long shot and the celebrated deadly Weeksy head fake which lead to a converted penalty. Twice North Downs pulled ahead and twice Bec responded in valiant fashion.

Finally experience told as North Downs opened up a two goal lead, but an excellent drop-off pass from Michelle found Johnny for an uncontested scoop to bring the score to 8-7, which is where it stayed till the full-time whistle. Overall, fantastic battling from Bec and an absorbing contest, with plenty of positives, particularly the girls' appetite for goals and the watertight defensive effort by the entire team. The cup dream appeared over, but there were bright spots to spot for the long season ahead.

Bec 11 - 4 Cardiff Dragons - The slaying

The second of the two back-to-back encounters was an entirely different affair, as Bec were faced with a young, physical and aggressive Cardiff Dragons side looking to make the best of a considerable journey. Tired Bec legs and erratic play by the Dragons contributed to a sluggish first half, where the yellows pummelled the basket from all angles with little avail and the Welsh tried repeatedly Route 1 - the drive to the basket, only to be frustrated by a disciplined Bec defence. On the plus side, Grant and Catherine at one end and Michelle and Sally at the other were showing good appetite for shooting, and chinks were starting to open up in the Dragons' armour. With the half-time score at 3-3, Donald called for those chinks to be punished and brought on the head executioner. When a can of whoop-ass is required there is no substitute for experience, and Annie and Michelle provided a korfballing clinic with relentless attacks, dazzling footwork and unerring finishing. The rest of the team took their cue from captain Annie and the entire team played with a combination of freestyle and rhythm not witnessed since the days of Run DMC.

Eight goals were added in a quick-fire 20 minutes, including a backbreaking 2 from the skipper with consecutive shots 20 seconds apart. Cardiff could only muster one in response and Bec finished the game at a canter after one of the more inspired halves seen in recent memory. Given the quality shown by the opposition it seemed a given that Bec would be out of the next round, but the level of skill, teamwork and dedication bode well.

Dragons 8 - 7 North Downs - What goes around...

With their fate out of their hands, Bec headed out of Royal Russel as the score in the final match was 3-1 to North Downs. Celebration was in order in spite of the seemingly inevitable early exit, and the team headed to Coombe Lodge for some cake and oversize profiterol. Meanwhile, back in the trenches, fresher legs took the initiative, and, through methods and skills known only to themselves, Dragons came back to register a remarkable win. News filtered through to the Coombe Lodge parking lot, where the victorious and incredulous Bec went from gluttony to ecstasy. The considerable goal difference advantage means that the yellow Hummels will be sighted again in the next round of the cup. Our next opponents better be warned: we cannot be beaten even when we lose and the force is with us.

Donald Forrester to Coach Bec 3

The Club now has a dedicated training session for the third team and welcomes back an old Bec faithful, Donald Forrester, to coach this team. Donald had been a key part of Bec for many years, as a player, committee member and coach, of both junior and senior teams. The Club are excited about his return and look forward to welcoming him to the new Bec.

Bec 3 record 3rd successive victory

There is a quiet but growing excitement and air of achievement in the Bec 3 camp. With the promise of a title challenge dashed by a bad start to the season, the last three games have seen Bec 3 back on the winning path once again.

This week saw Bec 3 take on Supernova 2, and with returns to the line up for Lauren Jones and Bec debut for our latest international signing Michael Spencer, the confidence showed. An early goal for Ruth Campbell put Bec ahead with Supernova replying straight after. An early injury to Bec up and coming star Gemma Prescott saw Sally come on against her old club.

The first half was a great display from the whole team, with Johnny Lazar proving unstoppable in the collect position, Simon assisting with great timing and aggression, while Lauren found her shooting range under the post with 2 cleverly worked goals. Ruth and Elaine also combined well so support Michael on the outside, as the new man who dubbed himself ‘more of an assistor’ stuck in 2 long shots to take Bec into half time 7-3 ahead.

The second half saw Supernova come out fighting and brought the score back to 7-6 before Bec could reply. But even under the mounting pressure, the team continue to perform with divisions coming together to talk about where they were going wrong. Goals from Sally, Johnny and a great move down the line by Nic B saw Bec keep the lead throughout the half. More Stirling work from Johnny assured long attacks and lots of possession in the tight closing periods. A final score of 11-9 saw Bec 3 take a well deserved result. A great team performance, which should see Bec 3 finish the season strongly.