Date: Saturday 19th October 2024, 15:00
MOM: Alan Patel
Goals: -
In a match filled with drama and unexpected setbacks, Stokesley Men's 2s travelled to Newcastle to face the University's Men's 3s in what turned out to be a tough and eventful contest. The morning began on a frantic note, with Stokesley losing a player and nearly another, creating an inevitable impact on their starting XI. Travel delays only added to the team’s difficulties, with a 45-minute setback leaving preparations rushed and incomplete.
Despite the challenges, Stokesley began the match with high energy, eager to bounce back after a tough previous week. However, things took a strange turn when Newcastle seemed to be playing with 12 players—a rarity in hockey, which added further difficulty for the visitors.
The first half saw Newcastle apply early pressure, but Stokesley's defensive quartet of Shaw, Coates, Patel, and Armitstead stood firm. After approximately 20 minutes, Newcastle won a penalty corner, which was expertly worked out to the left before being passed back to the centre, where an unmarked player slotted home to give the home side the lead.
Moments later, a fumbled defensive clearance from Stokesley allowed Newcastle to bundle the ball into the net, doubling their advantage. However, Stokesley didn’t go down without a fight. The tireless efforts of Baptist, Middlemiss, and Middlemiss in midfield created some promising opportunities. A well-worked pass from Adam Derry to Jack Hawken led to Heayns getting a chance, but unfortunately, he couldn’t convert.
At half-time, Newcastle held a deserved 2-0 lead, but the second half offered little relief for Stokesley.
The second half was difficult to summarise as Newcastle managed to add a third goal to their tally, and the match became further complicated by one of the umpires, who seemed to be looking for a job with Royal Mail through the festive period as he enjoys giving out cards. A flurry of cards, many of which left both teams confused, seemed to dampen the spirit of the game, and even Newcastle’s players were puzzled by some of the decisions.
Despite the frustrations, it was a great display of hockey, and credit must go to Newcastle University for their performance. Stokesley will look to regroup and come back stronger, with a cup game away to Leeds Adel next week providing the perfect opportunity to turn their fortunes around.
A hard-fought game, slightly overshadowed by some questionable officiating, but one both teams will take lessons from moving forward.
Next game: National Cup - Leeds Adel M6 - Away (Saturday 26th October 2024, 15:00 pb)
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