Hockey results v Forest School and v St John's Leatherhead
Saturday 28th January
1st XI WON 7-3 (Tate 2, Lawrence 2, Hamilton, Speller, Bull)
The 1st XI put in a good overall performance scoring seven against an average Forest side. In the first half especially the team produced good, quick two-touch hockey, which regularly opened up the Forest defence and produced plenty of goal-scoring opportunities. Some good goals were scored including two each for Alex Tate and David Lawrence (picture right) with Hamish Hamilton, Ed Bull and the captain Charlie Speller also on the score sheet. The disappointment for the team will be the three short corner goals conceded, all identical to each other, which kept Forest’s interest in the game. However, a few defensive ‘tweaks’ should ensure there is no repeat of this and the team who face Skinners School tonight in the Kent Cup quarter final should continue with their promising season.
2nd XI WON 8-1
Having dispatched King’s Rochester 9-0 in a fixture earlier in the week, the 2nd XI were looking to continue their rich vein of goalscoring form against Forest and started the game with purpose and a direct approach. Chris Cole made a number of incisive breaks into the final quarter of the pitch and deservedly opened the scoring with a well-executed low flick on three minutes. Eltham continued to retain the majority of possession and camped themselves firmly in the Forest half. On ten minutes a turnover at left back from Spencer Robinson led to a neat passing move into the Forest ‘D’, eventually leading to Freddie Shields being given too much time by the Forest defenders and finishing well to make the scoreline two-nil after ten minutes. Eltham continued to retain the majority of possession and restricted Forest to playing counter-attack hockey. The few Forest breaks were ably dealt with by Tim Williams and Kieran Dicken. Cole scored his second from a short corner five minutes before the half time break.
In the second half Eltham were encouraged to use their possession to kill off the game; greater patience was required to create real scoring opportunities and space on the pitch. The back line began the half transferring the ball with greater pace, and this led to more time on the ball for Will Epps in particular. George Haley (picture right) deflected a shot to score his first on 35 minutes and this was quickly followed by a great strike from the top of the ‘D’ from skipper James Rayburn. Forest legs were getting heavy and Eltham began to find more opportunities coming their way. Centre forward Dave Giles was getting in some great positions but it was leading goalscorer George Haley who placed another past the stricken Forest keeper for his third and the rout was completed shortly after with a blistering reverse stick strike from Haley for his fourth. Forest kept working and were rewarded with a late breakaway goal as a lapse of concentration put a Forest forward through one-on-one with ‘keeper Rob Barnes. The 2s will look to continue their run of wins away at Bancroft’s this Wednesday.
U15A WON 3-1
U15B v St Johns Leatherhead LOST 4-2
U14A WON 7-1
U13A v St Johns Leatherhead WON 12-0
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