South East District 2, the league inhabited by the fourth team, is, to quote Forrest Gump : like a box of chocolates. You never know what you re gonna get.

South East District 2, the league inhabited by the fourth team, is, to quote Forrest Gump '... like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.' The Sidmouth team was blessed with its highest quality selection for many months for the home fixture against Bridgwater. In Simon Price and Ian Please, returning after absences from the sport, there were two classic old hard centres to stabilise the line-up. John Bradley was the coffee cream in the defensive line; all of the Bridgwater forwards knew he was there and they all wanted to avoid him. John Eveleigh supplied his own champagne truffle brand of hockey, while attacker Andy Coley remains the side's very own Milk Tray man, ghosting in at speed and un-noticed towards the target. Onlookers were convinced that the Sidmouth team would be enough to beat most others in the league. Unfortunately, however, it became clear within a couple of minutes of the start that the Bridgwater side had come straight from Thornton's luxury assortment. A talented young line up which included eight players aged under 18, co-ordinated by a recent ex-first team player, proved to be devastatingly effective. Playing a brand of one and two touch hockey rarely seen in South East District 2, the visitors had taken the lead within five minutes after threading the ball at speed into the Sidmouth D. That lead was deservedly doubled after 20 minutes as the visitors continued to play their neat possession hockey in the Sidmouth half. Price and Please steadied the Sidmouth ship and inspired their team- mates to rise to the challenge. A high quality game of hockey broke out with both sides building incisive moves and the first half finished with Andy Coley drawing an excellent save from the visitors' goalkeeper when he applied a deft touch to a free hit from Price. The second half saw the same surprisingly high standard of hockey, but Bridgwater remained in the ascendancy. That their territorial advantage went unrewarded was due in large part to some timely interventions from Chris Hawke and a fine display of tackling from Please. Chances were created at both ends and Greg Seward was unlucky to see his outstanding strike from the top of the D beaten out by the Bridgwater keeper. Bridgwater added to their tally by virtue of a short corner five minutes from the end, but the home side can be pleased with their display.