Towards the end of August, when we started to work out the composition of the three squads, the signs for the 3rds were not great. The names of 11 (relatively) fit people were on the list so I braced myself for another JAM season (Just About Managing).

Fortunately, with a combination of Back To Hockey, a group of 13-year olds promoted from the juniors, returning players and new players, the reality has been quite different.

On a few occasions I've had to rest players - which must go down in the club annals!

At the start of the season, we decided to schedule a weekly development training session to help the juniors and the new players integrate and improve their skills. Despite the limited coaching skills of yours truly, I think this session has worked out very well. A big thanks to Nick and Dom Cusk for their help every week!

In terms of matches, the team has progressed from week to week.

The away match at Cambridge South 5 sticks in my memory. We had a team with an age range of 68 years between our full backs - Bill Greenwood and Archie Colwill. The thing I enjoy the most about the 3rds is the way the different generations of players integrate and form our own band of brothers. On the pitch, we won 4-3 in a keenly contested match that ebbed and flowed throughout the 70 minutes.

A couple of weeks later we played really well against Cambridge South 4, only to lose the match with minutes to go.

Fast forward another two weeks and we came back from 2-0 down against St Ives 4 to draw 2-2. It was a magnificent point that felt like a victory!

In the final league match before the break we played Saffron Walden 8 who, unlike most opposing teams, had a similar composition to our own i.e. quite a few under-18's. We were totally dominant and won handsomely by a 6-1 margin.

To round off the first half of the season, we had a 3A vs 3B match featuring an extended 3rd team squad. 25 players turned out to showcase the strength in depth of the squad, including some 12-year olds who will be eligible to bolster the team in 2017-18. It was a great occasion and the future is looking very promising. What a turnaround from four months previous!

Thanks to all players and supporters who helped make the season so enjoyable to date. Roll on 2017!