Team:
Luke Farmery

Mike Elliott

Adam Levi

James Stocker

George Imbert

Harry Sims

Andy Glover

Tom Blackman

Jordan Connelly

Ethan Fitzpatrick

Tom Bliss

Jonny Dove

Gopithan Ganesathas

Dan Samson

Jack Grabham

Sam Jupp

 

Starting Seed – 25th
Final Seed – 32nd

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Game 1 – Rebel 12 – 10 (L)

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When we saw who was in our pool, Rebel was the team we wanted to push ourselves against. On the assumption that we would at least hold seed in our pool, this would be our opportunity to move up. We knew they usually operated in the top of B Tour, but had no experience of what they played like.

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We start on D and get a turn almost straight away, which we convert to get our first point of the weekend. We put a strong D line on and pull back to them. We put the pressure on Rebel and force them to make a mistake and give us back the disc. Again, we put it in to go two up.

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This was not the Rebel we were expecting coming in to the game. But, this was also not the same Plymouth team that had started the other two Tours. This one could actually score apparently, and didn’t go down 4-0 straight away. We continued to pile on the pressure and made them work for every single point they scored. We kept pushing and took the half 8-4. This was incredible.

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At half time Rebel had some stern words with themselves. But we had words too, which were clearly much better words than theirs, because we scored next to go up 9-4. This was a new Plymouth from Tour 1 & 2. All we had to do was keep pushing hard and not let them score 6 points in a row, and we could improve our seed.

At this point, we decided we were far enough ahead that we could sub all of our team off and bring on a fresh team of doppelgangers who were unable to defend or score. Rebel upped their game and started to put in points at an alarming rate. This could be the greatest comeback story in history. Rebel put in 6 points in a row to go up 10-9. We finally manage to respond with a score to stem the flow. 10-10.

By this point Rebel have too much momentum, and the hooter goes. They put the point in and seal the deal with a final well-worked score.

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A disappointing way to chump a game we should have won. Leads like that we can’t afford to throw away. No rest for these chumps, on to the next game.

 

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Game 2 – Gravity 11-8 (L)

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Gravity were another team that normally graced the mid-top portions of B Tour. Having not played them before, they were a complete anomaly. All we knew was that JB and Foggy would throw with pinpoint accuracy to whoever and wherever they wanted. We quickly realised that this applied to their entire team. We had to play clinically and defend honestly. Any poaches or lapses would be punished.

On our offense we had youth and speed on our side, so tried to mix in long options to our game, with mixed success. Gravity had the older and better Perry on their side who shut down everything when he was on the pitch. We quickly adapted to this and looked for the shorter options, relying heavily on our handlers to make the hard yards. Our offense was stunning, with points being put in left, right and centre. We worked the short game excellently, but still tested them with some long options to keep them guessing. In defence we marked honestly, but their experience and handling abilities got them through, usually working it between them and firing it long to their main deep threat.

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Gravity took a lead of a couple of points over the first ¾ of the game, and managed to maintain this through going in to the hooter. We pushed hard to keep ourselves in the game, but Gravity’s experience saw them through to clinch the game.

Again, a disappointing result, but we saw a new Plymouth team who certainly brushed off the niggles that saw us chump the last game.

Game off before our last game of the day against South West rivals, Devon 2.

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Game 3 – Devon 2 10 – 9 (L)

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After our meeting at Tour 2 we were going in to this game confident we could create a repeat outcome. Devon had some changes in personnel, taking out some of their less experienced players, and bringing in some big impact players in Hector and Mike Forrest.

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We start out slow and go down quickly by several points. Their veterans of Chubbs and Mojo keep the disc moving, using Forrest, Hector and two very experienced female players to make big yards and get the points in.

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After this slow start we have to play smart and bring this back. Devon put on a zone to begin with. We organise ourselves, setting three handlers, two people popping in to space and two people dragging the zone deep to create the space. Our handlers open up the space and put in the cheekiest of passes through the smallest of holes to work our way up. This worked continuously with and against the wind. When this stopped working briefly, we weren’t afraid to put shots long and make-up ground the more fun way. And it’s definitely the more fun way when it involves skying Hector. Twice. #justsayin’.

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We brought the game back to within 1 point in the first half, but Devon took the first half 8-7. Going in to the second half Devon switched it up to man defence, cottoning on to our efficiency against their zone. This slowed us down a bit and forced us to make errors. We managed to keep our heads in the game, trading for a while, but we were always chasing them. This continued in to the hooter, where Devon scored to lead 9-8. We made the most of our offence and tied it up 9-9. We went out on defence and forced them to turn. We had a shot on offence and fluffed it. Devon had a go, fluffed it. We had a go, fluffed it. This went on a while and both sides got tired. We began to ease up on our mark, leaving gaps open for passes to the breakside. Devon used this and got a few break passes in a row before throwing a questionable back hand to noone on the breakside. Out of nowhere, Mike Forrest saves Devon’s hopes and dreams with a monstrous layout on to what may as well have been concrete. We keep the pressure on in the endzone, but Devon manage to sneak it in to take the game.

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There were concerns that the stress may have been too much for Levi’s aged and weathered heart. He just about survived the ordeal.

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This was the most disappointing game for us. After the result last time we felt we should have done better. We definitely didn’t use our strengths to our advantage and didn’t capitalise on mismatches.

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After a win-less day, we had dropped from 25th to 32nd. This is not how we wanted to go in to our last Sunday of the Season, but it is what it is.

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We needed to make up for it on the Sunday and restore some pride in to the team. We all dispersed to our accomodations in opposite directions and spent an eternity trying to arrange meeting up for food. Another early start beckoned, and we had some making up to do.

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Game 4 – Reading 3 11 – 10 (W)

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After a disappointing set of results on the first day, we were now facing the potential reality of being relegated to C Tour and undoing all of our hard work. Our game was to be a repeat of our first game of Tour 1. That game went down to the wire, and we didn’t want the same to happen again. Our tactic of calling O and D lines yesterday worked well on focusing each player on their responsibilities and strengths and would be carried on throughout this game.

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We start out a big sluggish, trading points, and letting a couple in, going to 2-2. We come back out on O and bang it straight in, no issues. We celebrate and come back out on D. Reading work it up to our endzone line, but our defence holds strong and gets the turn. We work out back up smoothly and go up 4-2. This is more like it. This is the Plymouth that showed up first thing yesterday against Rebel. But this time, we can’t chump it!

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Again, Reading work it up nicely, getting to the front of our endzone and calling a time out. We set up against them, and get another turn. More efficient handler movements and clever cutting gets us up the field to get another and go up 5-2. Reading hit back to get a point, but we strike back straight away to go up 6-3.

After a promising start, we get a bit complacent, thinking it’s going to be a walk-over, and Reading put in 2 on the trot. We respond and keep our score ticking over, but Reading start to close the gap, and eventually bring the game back to 7-7. We call a timeout to stop their momentum and get our house back in order. Reading come out hard again and get another point to go up 8-7. They use half-time to recover, and are visibly tired with only a few subs. But now we are chasing the game. This is familiar territory for us. But not one we are comfortable with. Reading keep their foot on the accelerator and continue putting the points in, capitilising on our mistakes. They make it to 10-7 after the hooter goes, meaning its a game to 11. We take a timeout to try and sort ourselves out. We finally respond, and get two on the bounce to bring it back to 10-9. Our D line goes back on to put in another big shift. They get the turn and bung it back in to level it up at 10-10. D line go back out for one last push. The point goes on for a while, with both sides making errors, and Reading fluffing a few end zone chances. Reading work the disc up and, with minimal pressure on them, decide to put a hammer to the endzone which lands straight in Ethan’s lap. Ethan dumps the disc off to a handler and we work the disc back towards their end zone. Reading organise their D and we get slowed down by their defence. We swing it back and forth to look for a hole and cant find one. We get the disc on the left hand side and call a time-out to organise ourselves. We set ourselves up, make a few handler movements and then Harry gets free on  the open side for a knifey flick to the back corner. He catches the disc and the team erupt! We had brought it back from 10-7 down to win 11-10!

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An incredible come back by the team, but ultimately (heh heh…) we shouldn’t have got ourselves in to that situation. No time to rest, and we are straight in to our next game.

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(Game is available to watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecPR6IK644M)

 

Game 5 – Dublin Gravity 10-8 (L)

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We had seen glimpses of Dublin Gravity, who had played on the pitch next to us last game, and saw them smash Edinburgh.

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They were an athletic looking team with strong throws and safe hands, and not impersonating their accents in front of them was going to be hard enough, let alone getting the win.

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Carrying our momentum in to this game, we came out on defence with a strong line and instantly got the turn and smashed it in. From this point onwards there seemed to be nothing between us, trading for the majority of the game. On offence we played smoothly, using our strong handler core to make yards, then sniping shots upfield to our athletic cutters and me. Our offense tore them apart and made easy work of their D. Unfortunately, a few unforced errors crept in and Gravity brought it back and took the lead.

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Gravity were ahead by one at 8-7 when the hooter went. We tighten up the D and halt them in front of our endzone for what felt like an eternity. They keep the play calm and swing it back and forth between their handlers, looking for an opportunity to get a break out or make small yard gains with a handler burn. They do so with too much ease, but can’t get that last pass in to get the point. They keep swinging back and forth, and eventually get some easy break side passes out and find a free man in the end zone to go up 9-7.

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Not going to lie, can’t remember what happened next, but I’m assuming we scored, and then they scored to take the game 10-8.

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An unfortunate game, which could have gone the other way perhaps if we didn’t have a Universe Point game beforehand and had a bit of time to get our legs back. But regardless, this was a strong B-Tour quality team, who we went toe to toe with for the majority of the game.

 

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Game 6 – The Brown 10 -7 (L)

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This was our last game of Tour 3, and our last game of the Season. It would have been nice to go out on a high and go in to the game pumped up and ready to smash them. Unfortunately our enthusiasm had dropped thanks to a weekend of long games, a 27°C heat wave and ground hard enough to give everyone giant Tom Blisters all over their feet.

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We started out sluggish and struggled to adjust to the pace The Brown brought to the game. They ran and ran and ran and travelled and ran and travelled and travelled and ran and travelled and ran. Using a few key handlers to move the disc, and using their single key cutter to make the longer yards, they were zipping through our defence and getting break throws out before we could set our mark. Thanks to this strategy of theirs they went up 4-0 almost instantly. We turned it on and got a point in eventually.  

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Angry Papa Smurf and his merry band of travellers responded with another quick point, forcing us to reevaluate our approach to defending. We decided to get more physical, stop chasing after our man as soon as they had passed and get in their way instead, slowing down their handler weaves. This worked a treat, and by half time The Brown were only up by a couple of points and we had eaten away most of the game time.

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We had a breather and came back out on O, when the hooter went. The sideline were then briefly distracted by Gopi’s umbrella being carried across the entire tournament on a gust of wind and making its way onto the Pavillion rooftop. We then remembered we were here to play frisbee, and got our head back in the game. We fluffed the disc and The Brown converted it quickly to go up 9-6. We put our next O in to bring the game to 9-7, and had visions of recreating the Reading game and bringing it back. We had gone on a 3 point roll at the start of the game, and could do it again. We pressurise them on the disc and force them to make some key errors. We get the disc back in front of our endzone and look to work it up and build some momentum. Our handlers move the disc beautifully and throw a lead pass to me on the right sideline around the break mark. I see two people ahead of me: a defender and a Bliss. Some dubious “fakes” and cuts from Bliss, and I see space on  the break side and a glint in his eye. I channel my inner Levi and decide that the only option is a girthy hammer to the breakside. I wind up, put my whole body behind it, and spaff it in to the floor 5m in front of me. We switch to defence, but dont have the legs to slow their handler weave down, eventually giving them a gap for the score. The Brown win 10-7.

A disappointing game considering our quality of play on the Saturday and against Dublin Gravity. Personally, I believe we let them get away with too much travelling, but it’s tough to call it when it’s moving so rapidly. Plus it’s much easier to see from the sideline. Regardless, The Brown deserved the win and wanted it more. A tough way to end the Season.

 

On the surface, this weekend may have seemed a lousy result: winning only one game and dropping from 25th to 32nd. But if you look at our results and the teams we played (some teams who are generally mid-top B Tour), we have performed remarkably well. We have come out of these games disappointed that we lost. Compare that to last year when we would have gone in to those games expecting to get smashed and being relatively content with that. Especially considering we have brought through several players who haven’t played Tour before, and some who have been playing for less than a year (and they all absolutely smashed it, and will be invaluable members of the club for next year).

This Season has been a success in my eyes. We have achieved a lot over the year with several highlights:

1. Set up training sessions which had enough attendees to allow proper training

2. Designed and purchased some hella swag kit. Sent it back. Got some more. Sent it back. Got some more hella swag kit.

3. Competed in SWSC with only 9 players, beating some quality teams with full strength sides, and pushing other teams hard.

4. Getting Sustainable Ben to go to Reading so we don’t have to hear about his love of quinoa and petting squirrels.

5. Developing from a top of C Tour team in Tour 1 to a team who can challenge strong B Tour teams by Tour 3.

 

I look forward to seeing what Plymouth Ultimate achieve next Season, even if it is from afar (queue dramatic music).

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Peace out bitches.