Folkestone Optimists 3XI delivered a sensational performance and dismantled fellow promotion hopefuls Sevenoaks 4XI with a swaggering 5–0 victory at Radnor House School — an emphatic way to celebrate on the fun bus home.

A late 4pm pushback saw the Ops roll into Sevenoaks on the fun bus… and roll out three points richer. DJ Jack Timmins set the tone early with a surprisingly wide-ranging playlist for someone barely old enough to remember CDs.

Personnel-wise we were without Bristow (immediately abducted by the 2s), and the forward line lacked its usual senior citizens — no BA, King or Stimmins. No problem.
The show was stolen by a front line with an average age of 14.25:
Harry “Rowe Salah”, Finn Letley, Arthur Ireland and Will Ball. The future is not bright… it is blinding.

First Half: Beach Boys on Tour

This was hockey of the highest order: controlled, composed, confident.
The Ops camped inside the Sevenoaks 25 for long spells, patiently probing and stretching their defensive shape like a cat playing with a mouse. Teasing, not letting them go. Ali Sutton actually stepped in front of his man.
Sam Ireland, inspired by Bristow last week, strode through into midfield, parking himself as pivot just outside their 25. Stone and Hagger pushed high up the lines, pinning Oaks back. Boots made two camera saves, the sort where he had nothing to do for 20 minutes then suddenly springs out of the blocks with feline agility. Minister in the D. The boys on the baseline.

Beautiful hockey… but frustratingly goal-less.
All ding, no bling.

Until…just a minute before half-time. Straight from Tuesday training school: Tom Jones rifles a pass into the D, Wardy leads straight down the barrel and produces the deftest of touches to leave the keeper stranded. 1–0. Is there a more handsome man in world hockey? Not in that moment. Beautiful.

Second Half: Sevenoaks tried to change their tictacs after the break, stepped higher, pressed harder…for about 60 seconds before they were ruthlessly countered by Letley jnr, Ireland jnr and Ball jnr, slicing them apart with sheer pace. 2–0 Letley Jr.

Minutes later: 3–0 — Wardy again. Another deflection. Someone's been paying attention to George at training!
4–0 — Will Ball, gliding past players with Mission-Impossible-laser-beam-beating dribbling. Now you see it, now you don't, it's over here, no over there, see yaaaa later.

Then the turbo button was pressed: Letley’s second, a breakaway, so fast it must've been fuelled by nitrous oxide. 5–0.

Sevenoaks: shell-shocked.
Folkestone: equally shocked… at just how good we actually can be. Simple hockey. Simple, controlled, patient hockey. And four schoolboys with pace and unbelievable stick skills helps.

The fun bus home was, fun. Aspendos fueled. Morale high. Voices loud. Allez Les blues.

A fine way to wrap up 2025's hockey.

Folkestone Optimists 3XI sit 4th, just 4 points off top, with everything still to play for in the new year.

Enjoy your Christmas break, lads. Rest up the hammies, soothe the quads, sharpen the elbows. We go again in January.