The second team boys’ first Hampshire League match of the year was away at Basingstoke against their B team. A full team of 13 players travelled to the match.

The starting seven made a fantastic start to the match, scoring within 20 seconds. For much of the first quarter, our team’s superior passing and arc-work enabled us to hold the upper hand both in attack and defence. After two more goals were scored by both teams, the first quarter ended 3-2 in our favour.

Any feelings of complacency that may have been felt by some members of our team were soon dispelled during the second quarter. The Basingstoke team employed good tactics on their offense, with their swimming credentials giving them a man-up situation on more than one occasion. They scored a couple of good goals from these attacks, whilst our team replied with only one goal of our own. By the end of the second quarter the score was 5-4 to Basingstoke.

In the face of such tactics from Basingstoke, our team half-pressed from the third quarter onwards, with good success. This quarter saw both teams begin to tire; especially given our one goal was the only one of the quarter. Both teams had good chances to score on the break, but good goalkeeping and last-ditch defending kept the score to 5-5 by the end of the quarter.

The final quarter of the game was somewhat nervy from both teams, with neither wanting to give the other a clear opportunity to score on a breakaway. With both teams swimming as hard as they could, chances were few, but two goals were scored apiece leaving the final score at 7-7.

On balance, the score was probably a fair one, given that both teams hit the frame of the goal on numerous occasions and neither deserved to lose. On another day, with some decisions that may have gone in our favour, this was a match that we could have easily won. To say that after only the second competitive match that this team has played is testament to the good work that has been put in during training sessions. A special mention should go to Robin Liquorice who pulled off some outstanding saves in only his first game in goal!

Keep it up boys!

Scorers:

2 – James Gray
2 – Pete Austin
1 – Andrew Deans
1 – Sam Forbes
1 – Ramsey Mullaney