A Special Remembrance by Oxhey Jets and Coldstream Guards
5th November 2022
NEW ADDITION
PHOTOGRAPHS AND REPORT FROM PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER DALE JAMES.
We are delighted that Dale James of sportsshots.org.uk was able to attend the game. Dale has an extensive portfolio of sports photography, and we thank him for being able to include below his report and photographs from our Remembrance match with the Coldstream Guards
Remarkable remembrance day special despite the weather
Oxhey Jets – 9
O Akinola 3’ 33’ R Sims 6’ S Giordmaina 24’ J Thompson 31’ S Bellotti 43’ K Patterson 64’ O Ayres 84’ W Robinson 87’
Coldstream Guards FC – 0
5th November 2022
For our tomorrows their today they gave,
And simply asked that in our hearts they’d live.
We heed their call and pledge ourselves again,
At dusk and at dawn – we will remember them!
Despite the weather and despite the scoreline, both Oxhey Jets and the Coldstream Guards FC paid magnificent respect for all of our fallen on Saturday at the Boundary Stadium, also credit to the junior members of the club, parents, coaches and supporters who all braved the elements as the rain streamed down during the pre-match remembrance ceremony, absolutely nothing was going to stop everyone playing their part in this incredibly moving tribute; including of course to one of their own, Tom Lake who was killed in action eleven years ago whilst serving in Afghanistan.
For the second year running the Coldstream Guards football team frequented the South Watford home of the Jets along with various club & league officials, local dignitaries, family, friends and supporters to pay their respect or offer support to those who need it at this time of year, the weather was genuinely appalling but that did not stop those who wore their poppies with pride, and honoured the moments silence after the last post had been wonderfully sounded out in front of the main stand, & wreaths had been laid on the pitch.
The weather did clear for the opening stages of the game, the home side racing into a two-goal lead inside the first six minutes as first Reid Sims fed Oluwaloseyi Akinola who stroked into the bottom corner from the edge of the eighteen-yard area, Sims himself then on the scoresheet as he brilliantly curled home a free kick from twenty yards out. The Guards keeper Joe Jacobs was busy as he fought valiantly to keep the blue attack at bay, on the one occasion he was beaten, another Sims free kick bounced up off the crossbar and over for a goal kick, from a similar distance to the first.
Despite the custodian heroics he was powerless to stop Sean Giordmaina making it three on twenty-four minutes as he was picked out in space to the right of the box to fire home, followed closely by Jack Thompson who was handily placed to thump home after a defender had stopped a Spencer Bellotti run into the box. Akinola bagged his second of the game as he nodded a corner home at the near post, it then took until the dying moments of the first half for the sixth to arrive when Bellotti headed home from a looping cross.
After the interval both sides made changes including both keepers, and the visitors replacement Haydn Lysandrou was the first to get muddy as he was forced down low at his near post to push away, but it was a Jets substitute who increased the lead almost twenty minutes into the half when from the corner of the six-yard box, Keiran Patterson calmly side footed across the face of goal into the far bottom corner, fellow sub Owen Ayres made it eight with a low drive from the edge of the box with six minutes remaining.
Will Robinson rounded off the scoring late on as he chipped over Lysandrou with the shot stopper getting a hand to the ball, but the momentum enough to bounce the ball over the line, but at the final whistle the score line mattered not as it was smiles all round from both sets of players, although a nice warm shower soon had both sides heading off to the dressing rooms. F/T: 9-0
Attendance: 328
NEW ADDITION: Dale James Match Photo Gallery: –
Oxhey Jets Reports and Photos
It was an honour for Jets to host the Coldstream Guards for a second year for our annual Remembrance match. The Coldstream Guards are one of the symbols of our nation, and of our freedom and our values.
We were able to remember those that have given their lives for our country, including ‘Our Tom’, Pte Thomas Christopher Lake who was killed in action on the 20th November 2011 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. It was also an opportunity to lay a special wreath on the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War for those who lost their lives in that conflict.
Despite the heavy rain, a wonderful 320 people turned up to support us and all the gate money and contributions go straight to the British Legion Poppy Appeal.
Wreaths were laid by representatives of the Hertfordshire County Council, Three Rivers District Council, Watford Parish Council, the Police, Herts Football Association, the Combined Counties League, the Watford Sunday League, the Referee Assessors, Oxhey Jets Youth, the Match Officials, and Team Captains and Officials.
A two minute silence was impeccably observed, a time for reflection not only for those who lost their lives in times of conflict but also for our own personal losses. After the silence our trumpeter and piper combined to sound Reveille over a piper’s lament.
Onto the match, and Jets were in a strong mood to put their recent form behind them. It was a dominant display that saw Jets earn a comfortable win. Deago Dunbar-Bonnie was the Jets Man of the Match and John Pontone was the Man of the Match for the Coldstream Guards.
The fixture is not about the result though, but the occasion and what it represents as a moving act of Remembrance, and we thank everyone involved today for making it such a special occasion.
Ceremony, Line-ups, Referees & Captains, and Pre-Match Players Gallery:-
Remembrance Teams Walk Out Video: –
Laying of the Wreaths, Last Post & Two Minute Silence Video: –
Match Photo Gallery
Match Photo Gallery : –
Oxhey Jets vs Coldstream Guards Match Video:-
Post Match
Post Match Awards and World Cup Photos Gallery: –
Awards Presentations Video: –