Camden is normally renowned as a colourful place, home of the exciting multi-cultural markets and the Middlesex University 4G climbing wall, but following this weekend’s fixture, it’s been left black and blue.

Saturday morning, early start, a typical day in the life of a Cougar, but this was a slightly different team, with some regulars opting for a quiet one, not fancying the 2 hour trek down the M40 to Middlesex Uni, just past Wembley (home of IKEA Wembley) and home of the Camden Capybara (it's a large guinea pig, if you weren't sure).

The game got underway and with Pete Smith, AKA the fastest wrists in the West, facing off, the centre spot was Cheltenham’s to lose, but the battle seemed to be more hotly contested on the wings, with an athletic Camden bringing the fight to a midfield line featuring Gary Wood, Adam “I’ll be older in a day” Green, James Cole, Ethan Lee, Harry “Leeroy” Jenkins and Scott Griffiths. The game stayed goalless for a long time, with a high pressure Camden defence making it difficult for the Cheltenham attack, and the Cheltenham defence doing what they always do and making it difficult for whoever wanted to hurt Dan Martin.

Cheltenham, after testing the keeper’s chest pad a few times, eventually broke the deadlock with Jenkins finding the ball on crease and comfortably sealing the deal. This was followed immediately from the face with Smith winning a face into his own stick, drawing a defender and passing it off to an open Max Biddlestone, who placed the goal sweetly into a bottom corner. The first quarter ended 2-0.

The second quarter was certainly an un-Cheltenhamly affair, with some unfortunate turnovers in the attack side putting the pressure on the D-unit of Vice Captain and train rider Simon Benyon, Joe Embery and Rhys Topping. Despite consistently closing out top-threats and man-down situations, some unfortunate errors resulted in Camden clawing the game back and ending the half 3-2 to the home team. For the first time in a season of success, the Cougars were behind at the half.

The third quarter allowed Cheltenham to find the net again with Yuriy Syiek, in attack for his first game this season and at less than half the age of absent attackman Guy Oldring, planting a well-placed shot thanks to a well practiced off-ball cut to crease. Camden were not happy to see their lead being challenged, and soon scored another brace to regain their lead and add a goal to it. Griffiths, somehow available due to a cancelled Tattoo appointment, enjoyed a day of dodging as many defenders as he could, though sadly never found the end product after dodging all 46 long poles on the pitch. Nonetheless, a spectacular pick from Adam “I’ll be older in a day” Green allowed Biddlestone to get free from a defender that was perhaps a little too keen on him and to find Gary Wood looking fine on crease, and sure enough – perfecting the play with an even finer finish. Camden tried to dampen spirits further with one more goal, ending the third quarter 6-4 to Camden, with Camden perhaps thinking they’d already won the game.

Let this be a lesson to anyone planning on fighting a West country mountain lion – don’t underestimate Cheltenham’s fourth game rumble. After an inspiring final quarter team talk led either by Samuel L. Jackson and Al Pacino, or the captaincy duo of Simon Benyon (VC) and David Lennox (C), the team were energised and two goals was an easy mountain to climb. Sure enough, not long after the quarter whistle blew, and the first of 4.5 minutes of man-down situations for Cheltenham had passed, did Cheltenham find the net, thanks to a whippy feed from Lennox to Biddlestone and a crisp finish. Not one to miss out on the action, Benyon shimmied on up to attack for his own go at goal, and equalised with a pipe-pinging shot that echoed around all corners of the perfectly square lacrosse pitch. What came next was an angry Camden, who were fighting hard to find the net and return to leading the game, but a keeping master class from Dan Martin and his defensive back-up crew, meant that this was to no avail, and time after time, shots were converted to possession, which on three more occasions converted to Cheltenham goals, with Biddlestone securing three more with brilliant assists from Lee and Lennox. A three goal lead with around as many minutes left in the game meant Cheltenham just needed to stay composed, and despite spending much of that with a player taking a knee, they succeeded and the comeback was secured. A final whistle has rarely felt so sweet, as Cheltenham had secured a 6th consecutive win for the season.

Let that be a lesson to the Capybaras, no herbivorous rodent can stop a Cougar.

MotM – Dan Martin for brilliant shot stopping all game, especially during an intense 4th quarter.
DotD – Adam “Lacrosse” Green, as a special birthday present but also for not listening to the rousing final team talk.

Scorers:
Biddlestone – 5
Wood – 1
Jenkins – 1
Syiek – 1
Benyon – 1

Editor's Note:
For those who only tune in to Cheltenham match reports for Strictly updates, it was a great turnout for musicals week, Tilly Ramsay also had a decent comeback, returning from a poor run of form to a perfect 40 score. Results are TBC at time of writing.