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1st December 2008
Whitchurch claim three points whilst Cardiff & UWIC suffer a narrow defeat

Whitchurch 5, University of Birmingham 1

Whitchurch made a welcome return to form with a fine display of attacking hockey to defeat visitors University of Birmingham 5-1.

Whitchurch dominated the first half with a series of fast paced incisive attacks and ran up a deserved 4-0 interval lead. Strikers Laith El Khatib and Rhys Thomas, well prompted by Neil Potter and Ben Croxall from midfield, caused problems for the students' defence in the first quarter as Whitchurch probed for the all-important opening goal. Jonny Gordon made a good saving tackle in an isolated University attack and then after 14 minutes Whitchurch made the breakthrough their overall display had deserved. The influential Potter attacked down the right and a fine defence-splitting pass found El Khatib on the far post for a neat deflection into goal. Whitchurch kept up the pressure, the Birmingham keeper saving well from an El Khatib penalty corner, and then the students shot wide when well-placed.

Whitchurch took a decisive grip on the game with three goals in the last five minutes of the half. A 30-yard run by Potter set up Doug Young to increase Whitchurch's lead from close-range on the half-hour and two minutes later a great move out of defence involving Jamie Westerman, Potter and Young found Rhys Gowman who fired in Whitchurch's third goal from the top of the circle. In a hectic finale to the half Birmingham pushed forward and keeper Iwan Williams had to make two saves and Westerman a good tackle to keep the students at bay and then a flowing move between Chris Banning and Young was well-converted by Westerman to round off a fine half for the home team. Birmingham opened strongly after the break but it was Whitchurch who scored the first goal of the half, Croxall putting El Khatib away down the right and a fine pass found Thomas who swept the ball first time into the net from the edge of the circle.

Adam Barker almost increased Whitchurch's lead from a 30-yard pass by Potter, and Westerman shot just wide after a strong run. The University missed a penalty stroke midway through the half as they battled to get something from the game and forced a couple of penalty corners, well saved by Williams.

A fine run from Mark Whatling almost set up a further Whitchurch goal before Nick Rees pulled a goal back for the students with a reverse stick shot from close range five minutes from the end. The win, only their second of the campaign, lifts Whitchurch off the bottom of the table as the Slazenger EHL now enters its mid-season break.

 

Team Bath Buccaneers 2, Cardiff & UWIC 1

Cardiff & UWIC lost a hard fought match to Team Bath Buccaneers on Sunday. Cardiff & UWIC took the lead early from a penalty corner playing strong and well organised hockey. With the side making very few errors, holding good defensive positions whilst also stretching and running at speed at the Buccaneers defence the 1-0 score line at half time was a fair reflection of the match. Yet Cardiff and UWIC were going to once again rue their missed opportunities.

The deadlock was broken by an amazing deflection by Lewis Prosser for Buccaneers in the 58th minute after the ball was crashed through the UWIC defence, leaving the keeper Gardiner no chance to save lifting the Buccaneers side and their supporters.

Cardiff & UWIC were reduced down to 10 men after losing a player to a yellow card, and Bath took the advantage to the full, pressing hard and scoring with a first time effort into the middle of the goal on the 65th minute mark. This was a game Cardiff should have put to bed before Bath had a chance to fight their way back into the game.

Cardiff and UWIC now go into the Christmas break knowing that if they are going to avoid the relegation spots in the second half of the season they need to start becoming ruthless in front of goal, as having the worst goal scoring record in the league doesn’t truly reflect the chances created and the form shown throughout the side, with many an opposition bewildered by Cardiff’s current league position.

 

 

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