Spicy Spicy

Old Southendian Ladies 3s - 3
S&B 3s - 2

Today’s conversation is with Emily “Macca” McCarthy.

Those of you who remember Episode 7 will know exactly why today mattered.

That was the game where the goalkeeper saw red after hitting Macca. It was dramatic, chaotic, and one of the more memorable chapters of the season. So when the fixture came around again, quietly, without making too much noise about it, we all knew this was the rematch.

I personally tried very hard not to jinx it. No dramatic announcements. No revenge speeches. Nothing that might tempt the hockey gods.

But make no mistake - this one had Batman energy written all over it.

Before the game, in the changing room, Macca sat quietly, composed and thoughtful. At one point she showed us the mark on her hand from the incident last time.

“I’m not dwelling on it,” she said.

She was absolutely dwelling on it.

Fast forward to after the match, sitting together in the Marlborough Head over teas, and I had a lovely chat with her about it.

Emily has this kindness about her. She’s always encouraging people, always bringing teammates on, always lifting the team around her. She’s solid at the front and a real team player.

When I asked her about the winning goal, she said very simply:

“You injected the ball and I smashed it in.”

Straightforward. Efficient. No fuss.

But if you ask me… that moment had a little bit of vengeance in it.

Now to the hockey.

We started the match with what I can only describe as full mongrel energy.

Before pushback I turned to Anna and said,

“Anna, give that dog energy.”

She gave a growl. Less Westminster champion Doberman and more Marley the laundry-mat dog, but it clearly worked.

Because within 14 minutes, Anna stepped forward and unleashed an absolute screamer.

Lifted. Swung.
Straight into the net.

A proper Anna goal.

Which makes it even better that this was her final game of the season, meaning she waited all year to casually drop a worldie before heading off.

We went into half-time 1-0 up, but it was a tense lead. S&B were incredibly fit, very organised, and their first touch was excellent. If anything, we may have underestimated how strong they would be physically.

It’s also worth saying there was actually a really nice friendliness between the two sides today. Their defence were calling us attackers by our first names, which means they had clearly done their homework. They worked incredibly hard all game and made it very difficult for us.

But sometimes, even when both sides work hard, the right person still comes out on top.

Second half?

They scored twice, flipping the game to 2-1.

For a moment Gotham looked like it belonged to Bane.

But this team doesn’t collapse easily.

Then came the equaliser.

In the 50th minute, Lexi made a fantastic run down the right and delivered a perfect cross to Jen, who finished calmly and firmly.

2-2.

Meanwhile Ros was having what can only be described as a personal duel with the pitch. Slips, trips, dramatic gravity moments.

Which earned her Dick of the Day, with love.

Then came the moment the whole game had been building towards.

Around the 63rd minute, we won two consecutive short corners.

The first one didn’t quite work.

The second injection went straight to Macca at the top.

Across from her stood the goalkeeper - who, to be fair, had been excellent all game. Earlier she had even used her head to block one of my shots.

Absolute commitment.

But in that moment…

She was Bane.

And Macca?

Macca was Batman stepping out of the shadows.

The strike was clean. Hard. Unstoppable.

Goal.

The celebration as we ran back to the halfway line was electric. One of those moments where the whole team feels it at the same time.

Relief. Excitement. A little bit of justice.

3-2.

Rematch complete.

S&B were understandably disappointed - it had been a tight and very competitive game - but good hockey won the day.

Player of the Match went to Anna, and rightly so.

And now for the official update on the Essex Tour of Teas and Showers.

S&B receive 8.5 out of 10 for teas.

Marked down slightly for the very expensive drinks at the pub, paying for parking, and the general feeling that the Marlborough Head may well be the most expensive pub in Essex.

But overall, the teas themselves delivered.

Cheap white bread.
Margarine.
Chips fresh from the fryer.
Juicy sausages shared around a cosy Rochford pub.

Victory tastes better with salt.

This has been Spicy Spicy
Episode 16
Batman vs Bane - The Rematch

The podcast nobody asked for.
Shireen