Match Report
Match Report - 12 Dec 2009, Aldershot and Farnham Hockey Club Mens 1 drew with New Milton 1
Aldershot and Farnham put in a battling display to earn a deserved point at home to New Milton last Saturday in a 3rd v 4th placed battle.
A&F had to make do with just one regular first team defender, centre back Dave Jenkins. Youngster Matt LeMan stepped up after some good performance in the second eleven to play right back, whilst midfielder Steve Wicks filled in at left back. Jim Fowler the ladies first team coach and former A&F first team player answered the call to come in at sweeper. They performed admirably throughout along with Mark Edgely in goal who won man of the match, coming up with a crucial late save.
Given the changes it was unsurprising then that A&F took a while to settle, whilst New Milton eager to extend their lead over A&F in the table, started strongly and through the central midfield pairing looked threatening. It was not long then before New Milton took the lead.
After this A&F became more organised and understanding of their roles, stepping up a couple of gears and passing the ball around better. After an exquisite turn in the ‘D’ Jonny Groves would have been disappointed to fluff his shot with the goal at his mercy. The equaliser did come when Ian Metcalfe mugged the New Milton left back, beat the centre back and then fired across the ‘keeper into the corner of the goal from the top right of the ‘D’.
The goal gave A&F confidence and they started to exert a little more pressure before half time. The second period followed a similar pattern with the New Forest side having the better of the first fifteen minutes, during which time they won a number of short corners. A&F then fought back towards the end of game.
Both goals in the second half were penalty flicks. New Milton won theirs first from a back stick by an A&F defender in the ‘D’ that denied a potentially goal scoring opportunity. A&F won theirs after the cutest of through balls from Jack Metcalfe put Jonny Groves in. The last New Milton defender hacked Groves down to concede the stroke and be shown yellow which in effect ended his game due to the little amount of time left in the game. Groves himself scored the flick, just about squeezing the ball in from a fairly soft effort.
Overall it was a fairly disjointed performance by A&F missing the fluency they had achieved in recent weeks. There were however patches of swift passing and there was certainly an abundance of grit and determination.
Aldershot and Farnham Hockey Club Mens 1 2 - 2 New Milton 1