Match Report: Men’s 1s 5th Oct

Winchester 1-3 Yateley

Yateley made it 2 from 2 with a 3-1 over Winchester.

The match begun at a good tempo, with Yateley passing the ball with purpose. Chances were at a premium for both sides, but midway through the first half some good skill from Mark Laskey unlocked a hole in the Winchester defence. One on one with the keeper, Laskey was taken out and a stroke was awarded with the keeper being sent to the bin. Liam Roper scored to give the reds a 1-0 lead. This goal seemed to open the game up, with both sides having plenty of chances. It was Yateley who were more clinical, with Luke Powell finishing well from an acute angle. 2-0 up at HT.

The second half began in the same fashion, with Yateley controlling the play well. The reds defended well, and as Winchester were throwing bodies forward, spaces opened up on the counter attack. The always dangerous Laskey found space again in the D, and he fired a reverse stick shot past the keeper for a 3-0 lead. Young Jacob Sealey showed his potential, with a skilful run down the left side, leaving a number of Winchester defenders chasing his shadow. While the resultant short corner wasn’t converted, the reds were showing how dangerous they can be in attack. Winchester piled the pressure on in the last 10 minutes, but some excellent saves from Darren Cresswell in goal kept them at bay. The wall was eventually breached with 5 minutes left on the clock, but the result was never in doubt. A 3-1 win, 6 points out of 6, and joint top of the league.