M3 win at last

Match report submitted by Captain Colin. Editors note. He has missed out that GK Nick Round made a vital save from a penalty flick and Andy Turnbull's goal came in the first half. Any M3 players reading this may want to remember it for next week's votes

The Men’s 3s were at home in the late match on Saturday, facing Westbury F. Having had a close match two weeks earlier against Westbury D we were confident of a good game and as such sought to give more opportunities to our less experienced players, all of whom played very well. An injury to one player just before leaving to come to the match gave a little change of plan, but as Captain Colin Ainsworth was umpiring the Ladies match beforehand it gave little opportunity to plan the change.

We seemed strong and moved the ball around well, and were able to progress towards the Westbury D, giving lots of options and movement around the goal. We broke the deadlock with a neat finish at the second time of asking for Neil Edwards and continued to press from the restart, but Westbury managed to get a good break and finished off a move with a decisive shot. We reacted well, but the change in players made a bit of a difference and lost our shape as players swapping on and off weren’t fully aware of their roles. We did however manage to get the ball moving around all players and Neil found the back of the net again, but so did Westbury just before half time.

The half time break gave a chance to re plan the shape and we were able to keep the pressure further up the pitch and give some better direction to the newer players to help them bring themselves into the game. The second half started quickly with a run straight from the push back for Phil Toomey and we held the pressure on well. The pressure won us plenty of penalty corners and we managed to effectively try some different moves, but the lively keeper in the Westbury goal was a match to most, he came out to prevent a shot from Colin after slip from the top of the D, but Colin passed it back inside for Andy Turnbull to get his first goal of the season. Westbury applied a bit more pressure, but we moved the ball in triangles through the defence and midfield, which got the ball through again, especially getting Player of the Match Charlie Colling (2nd week running) moving effectively down the wing and on one move the ball was held up well by Neil to lay off for Colin running through and as the keeper came out to prevent the shot gave Colin the opportunity again to lay it inside to an eagerly awaiting Phil Toomey to tap in to an unguarded net. Westbury Grabbed one back from an excellent shot from a short corner which gave Nick Round no chance in the North goal. The final whistle went as North were about to take a penalty corner, so all players came up and the slip went to the right, the keeper came out again, so a lob was attempted, but the keeper jumped high and just got the end of the stick on it to prevent a fifth goal for North.

A 4-3 win for North’s first of the season, was no more than deserved and a good game for us to learn well and think about what to do for the game against Firebrands next week.