On a very sandy pitch as you can see by the picture we set up at home for two fixtures against Merchant Taylor's School from Crosby. On the back of a very good solid performance away at Kings Chester we all arrived at the Oval before two prepared for the game. With the 1st team staying the same after the committed Harvey returning from Leeds to captain the side we started well. We kept a good shape and started moving the ball well on the beach like facilities. This lead to us carving out chances in the first five minutes. That fell to Hankie and the less said the better. But it was encouraging and as the half developed we had some good solid work from Gawith, Bush and an excellent link up between Evans and Frank lead to a smart turn and close finish by Lyness. Once in front we have been susceptible to conceding, but the sturdy back four of Walker, Eastwood, Harvey and Gawith and Frank held firm, often covering for each other making Smithy's life a lot easier.
Some very good interplay saw Lyness double the lead in a very similar position down the left after good work from the improving Rid!! We have just now started to see what confidence, control and simple hockey can do. We continued to defend well getting in front of men and the best move of the game saw Steadman set a very quick Lyness away down the right who crossed accuratly for Evans to finish smartly, 3-0. Merchants still looked to impose thmselves, but the hustle and bustle of Taylor and the good work by Bush and Lyness was causing havoc on the break.
As we started the second half the confident Rid cut inside and V dragged out beating his man twice and playing some neat hockey with Bush. This lead to our forth from a corner that broke down but Bush was quickest to react and score from an acute angle on the left, 4-0. The fifth came to the excellent Harvey who had advanced forward and finished from close range to add to his tally for the season. But to rub salt into the wounds against a Merchants side that beat us earlier in the season, Bush scored a sixth beating the keeper at the near post. In truth we could have scored more had it not been for Davies lifting his stick and Rid using his back stick among other chances.
An excellent performance from players who have worked very hard this season, and now have learnt how to play effectively together and win!!
Well done!
AJM
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