Hold on to your hats, this is going to be a long one.

Coming off a streak of surpisingly average form and unfortunate results, MK were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Oxford University to the fortress, no doubt with some uninitiated freshers in their ranks.

MK started the game hard, placing immediate pressure on the Oxford back line, keeping the ball firmly in the Oxford territory. Despite many attempts to play hard balls into the centre of the pitch, a central trio of Brandy, Murdoch and Alex Edwards denied them access. Our forwards did take a little bit of time to settle into the game, after a mistrapped aerial deflected from a defender to the skipper at the top of the D, followed only by what can be described as a 'the lights were too bright' moment - he tried to lob the keeper and ended up sending the ball considerably wide.

After another turnover from Oxford, impact sub Luis Nicholas (returning home from his hiatus with the first team) drove the ball down the left sideline and wound up for his signature reverse stick shot. Coming as a surprise to many, the ball stayed completely flat and flew across the goal mouth to skipper Oli Wyatt, who took a (slightly heavy) deflective touch to send the ball goalwards. Despite having to prod it again with his stick to actually ensure the ball went over the line, MK opened their goalscoring account for the day.

It would be remiss if a mention wasn't given to the (retrospectively silly) call from the skipper to play a conservative 60 press after the goal, despite scoring in the opening minutes - given it's the skipper writing the report (and receiving DoD as a result of the call), it was actually because I was knackered and needed to get my breath back.

With momentum still confidently with us, MK strode forward again, playing games with the Oxford defense to find any opening possible. Following more confident drives from our midfielders and full backs, and some selfless play from forwards Chris Reid and Luis Nicholas, MK scored another pair of goals, coming by way of Alex Edwards and Reece Armstrong. Pure Chaos, 3-0.

A special mention must go to midfielder Brandon Begg, who, for a brief fleeting moment, saw himself in the favelas of Brazil and introducing hockey to the masses, by taking a touch and raising the ball, then controlling it with his face. Safe to say Brazil will stay firmly with football for the time being.

Entering the half, MK had their foot on the neck of Oxford and had no intention of taking it off. After a few small adjustments and notes from Player Coach Nick Lygo-Baker, MK were ready to run it back.

MK came out of the gates aggressive as ever, chasing a monumental win to reassert themselves as a team not to be underestimated. Once again, following intense pressure from the team, Oxford made an involuntary turnover and allowed MK to build forward once again. Shots peppered the keeper from all angles, and had no choice but to parry it to where another Milton Keynes player was. One of those MK players was Oli Wyatt, who trapped the ball after coming off the keeper and gave a sweeping reverse to bump his goal tally up to 2 for the day - hat trick is firmly in sight, and the celebration reflected this.

With no intention of letting up, MK kept pressing Oxford into their back left corner, making a wonder ball or an aerial their only viable option. After winning the ball back somewhere in the Oxford half, a free roaming Alex Wallbank was seen hovering around the P spot, with no markers whatsoever. After the ball being pulled back off the baseline and fed to his open stick, Alex confidently put the ball in the back of the net. Must have been the interim chat from Murdoch while on the bench.

Oxford were getting frustrated, and it's easy to see why. With their focus being taken by Luis Nicholas giving his best impression of being electrocuted (their words, not ours), they were struggling. After winning a long corner, Nick Murdoch stepped up to play the ball. What he didn't expect to see was a rogue Brandon Begg, sat at the top of the D with (once again) no one marking him. Ensuring he received the ball outside the D such that the ball didn't directly enter, Brandon turned and flicked the ball with some serious pace into the top corner. Side note - skipper was sat on the back post ready for a tap in, but I digress.

Despite being 6-0 up, MK were still hungry. Oxford managed to fend off some attacks, but conceded a short corner in the dying embers of the game. With Cal Clarke back in the squad, there was only one place this flick was going - top bins. Cal stepped up to strike and flicked the ball with considerable power, but the keeper managed to get to the ball and deflect it back out. As the ball rebounded off the keeper, it fell to - you guessed it - skipper Oli Wyatt, who flung the ball into the left side netting, beating the keeper and confirming his first career hat trick - safe to say skip was ecstatic. That turned out to be the final moment of the game, as the umpires blew for full time.

Going into the international break on a 7-0 win is no mean feat, as we look ahead to facing Reading away in 2 weeks time.

MoM - Oli Wyatt - Hat trick Hero
DoD - Oli Wyatt - Calling a 60 press after 5 minutes