60 goals for and 10 against after 4 games. A record any team would be proud of and the owner of this fine record, Spencer 1st, were no different. Today’s game against Hitchin promised to improve on the impressive record or tarnish the hard fought results.

Having eaten an amazing curry this week, I realised it takes preparation, top class ingredients and a perfect blend of spices to produce a culinary delight. Using this as an analogy, similar ingredients are required to make a top class lacrosse team and would the proof be in the pudding at the end of the day?

Spencer’s arrived early on Saturday to warm up and make sure the performance for the day would be a tasty occasion. With the team looking as sharp as usual, Liam set the temperature to gas mark 6 for eighty minutes hoping for a perfectly cooked result.

Spencer started the game as flat as a pancake, with Hitchin scoring first right after the whistle. This was the first time the Sparrows had been behind all season and could Spencer rise to the challenge after the early setback? Hitching showed their quality early as the hardest opposition of this year’s campaign and only time would tell if the Sparrows could stand the heat and get the goal they kneaded.

It didn’t take long for Spencer to make the Hitchin defence turn to jelly. With such a formidable attack it was only a matter of time before a goal was delivered. Someone, I’m not sure who, started what was to be a long tally of scorers on the day and clocked the first goal. The score was now one a piece and Hitchin knew, as they expected, that Spencer could not be turned over like other teams.

Unlike previous opposition this season, Hitchin didn’t deflate either but kept biting back at the Spencer defence. With quick movement and multiple threats, Hitchin pulled another goal back to try and ignite some momentum in their simmering attack.

Rick ‘lamb on the’ Bone was once again proving almost unbeatable. Their sprinkling of shots were devoured by Rick without remorse. He was proving once again why Spencer has conceded so few goals this season.

Tom ‘ato’ Bailey had defrosted from standing on the sideline the previous week and was putting in a typically firm performance. Ant ‘oine’ Kirkwood was ravenous in defence, with an excellent performance all day. Jonny ‘machine’ Clarke was whisking the ball away from defenders and running nonstop in LSM. Roo ‘ling pin’ Cheetham was flattening any threat that came his way in another age-defying display. After the first couple of goals Hitchin were only offered a taster menu for the rest of the game with only two early goals in the second half after the team started slowly.

I’ll take this moment of clarity to mention a special member of the team. Facing a week of adversity and a looming election, America is showing its calibre as an impressively resilient and tough nation. Kohl ‘gender curious’ Meyer on the other hand decided to buck the national resolve and carried on from last week’s gap jumper by sporting tights and leg warmers in the game because “it’s cold”. Simple pattern theory would suggest that ladies garments are going to feature each week? Least he got a goal, but what that lad will do for a free pint.

The attack was blending excellently together. Rob ‘J-Lo’ Holmes matched his outfit with another sizzling display with six goals. Sam ‘sous chef’ Dunwoody was also dishing up the goals and assists with Holmes as usual. Will “lol wtf am I doing in attack” Walker added some heat in attack with a particularly sneaky backdoor goal as well as others after peppering the keeper all day.

All in all, it was a delightful concoction of attack and defence to stir up an impressive 20 – 4 final score. But the high standards set by Spencer were a little off. The passes were sloppy at times and there were moments where the team was looking uncomfortable in possession. It’s quite obvious that Spencer has a solid recipe for success. But coming up the team have their hardest critic in Hampstead and the sparrows know that they’ll have to serve up the dish of the day to make sure of victory.

P.S The proof was in the pudding and Kohl got DOTD

Spencer were;
Rick Bone, Tom Bailey, Jonny Clarke, Ant Kirkwood, Roo Cheetham, Kohl Meyer, Joe Darkins, Rob Arnott, Liam McGreavy, Max Sandy, Will Walker, Rob Holmes and Sam Dunwoodie