Match Report: Mens 4th XI 16 March

Yateley 5-1 Henley

On a bright sunny Saturday, Yateley's Men's 4s geared up to play against Henley's M5s. Having lost to them in the first leg, we were eager to avenge our defeat. We enjoyed watching the Yateley M1s before our match and couldn’t wait to get stuck in.

Right from the start, our team defended well with Alfie, Tom, Jason, Tony, Jon, and Addi showing great movement. Ben did a brilliant job stepping up into his new CDM role, keeping the midfield structured and the play flowing smoothly. Sam, Adrian Stimson, and Josh got us off to a flying start with some fantastic goals before halftime. At one point, even Tony ventured up to attack the opposition goal. Sam and Addi put in tremendous effort, running their socks off. By halftime, we were up 3-0. Some positive words from David, the club captain, boosted our confidence, and we felt it was some of the best hockey we’ve played all season.

After the break, some excellent midfield play from Kevin and Adrian Plant saw us pushing forward, allowing Mark to pull off a cheeky reverse flick, putting us 4-0 ahead. Unfortunately, a small lapse allowed them to score one past us. Undeterred, we remained hungry for more goals. After Josh took a nasty blow to the ankle we even saw Jason having a turn as striker, and it wasn’t long before Adrian Plant took his chance, smashing one in after a great pass from Adrian Stimson, putting us 5-1 up.

It was a solid 5-1 win for Yateley's Men's 4s, though it could have been more (including the one Adrian Stimson snicked but was missed by the umpire). It was a top effort from everyone, showing real teamwork and a great attitude. We all headed back to the clubhouse for teas, and this season's Best Tea Award goes to Jon for the most delicious Thai curry, 10/10!

For Man of the Match, it was a close call. The whole team put in an excellent shift, but it was a tight race between Ben and Sam, with Ben receiving the most votes. Congratulations Ben, a well deserved Man of the Match!