Match Report: National Lacrosse Day 2016

Players from Milton Keynes, Oxford City and Hitchin celebrated the second annual National Lacrosse Day on Saturday 17th September. We played at our league games venue, Stantonbury, and ran a series of 6-a-side games during the afternoon.

It’s clearly close to the lacrosse season as the warm sunny weather has turned and we welcomed grey skies and a chill in the air, but at least it did not rain. Ever optimistic, we has ice buckets on the sideline filled with cold drinks. Whilst these were not needed to cool us down, the beers (and snacks) were very enjoyable at the end of the afternoon as we relaxed and chatted about the forthcoming season.

For the on-field lacrosse action we played short 10 minute games, alternating between men’s and women’s lacrosse. The men’s games were all very competitive with a couple of Hitchin players joining the MK team for each game to even out the numbers. In addition to just being a fun set of games, the Hitchin players gave the MK team a good test in attack and defence. It’s still pre-season but MK are looking in OK shape with novice players learning fast and our more experienced looking to take players on and create goal chances. Without a single personal foul, it was also a very easy series of games to referee.

Oxford City ladies were the more experienced and won their first game 7-0. The MK team included two playing their first games but they learned fast and the MK team got more competitive as the day progressed, scoring some goals and keeping possession for longer periods.

To close the day we played fancy dress lacrosse. What people have in the bottom of their wardrobes is quite surprising. There were a few giggles when Santa arrived early this year, bringing a Rubiks cube. Spring had come back with a family of bumble bees buzzing around but we were safe with Batman there for protection. A native American Indian was chasing a prisoner at one point and the referee totally lost track of the score but the bumble bees won the game, we think 4-2.

We finished with a mixed game, still in fancy dress. Enjoyable chaos is probably the best way to describe it. All the men played with ladies sticks, and some were pretty handy with the lack of pocket and completely different feel compared with a men’s stick.