Vs Gryphons

The Men's 3s were at home after the 1s, but it was raining solidly and only got worse as the game went on. We were confident going into the game having won the previous two playing well and our opponents Somerset Gryphons had failed to get a point so far. We knew they were and experienced side and this clearly made up for some lack of pace. They were very solid in defence and we found it difficult to get into their D, or keep the pressure consistently at their end. When they did attack it was on the break and the first time they did, they got a short corner which they worked well for a former NSHC player to put past Rob Orton. We continued to keep the ball moving around, though not without losing it when we went into the D. Gryphons got another break and their lone player in the D deflected a long hit past Rob for their second. At the break Jon Venn had a word with the team, we changed the shape very slightly and tried to get back into the game, but Gryphons scored again in much the same way as their second. We kept the pressure up as Gryphons tired, but the pressure took time to work, with a scramble in the D eventually being put away by Captain Phil Toomey. Another attack took us down the right and Jack Colling beat several players before excahnging passes with Steve Puttergill and putting the ball in the back of the net to make it 3-2 and make an exciting end. NSHC kept the pressure up and harrassed the Gryphons high up the pitch. Colin Ainsworth went high to keep the pressure up, but the Gryphons player did a reverse flick and clearly followed through way further than he would normally to strike Colin in the head and put him off the pitch for a while. Dan Dudley came on to replace Colin and in the next attack the ball was moved around the D until Dan flicked it past the keeper and the player on the line stopped it with their body giving us a penalty flick. Captain Phil stepped up to take it, but failed to convert it. We ended with a loss 3-2 which was probably a fair reflection on the overall game.