Men's 1st Team Vs Leamington

After a promising pre-league build up, new skipper, Zach Jarvis, will have hoped for a better start in the re-organised Warwick Printing Hockey League West Midlands Division 1

Last season’s League 1 participants Leamington set out their stall right from the start and were in no mood to give up on their added experience at the higher level. The first half proved to be a most severe test of Yardley’s resolve but they seemed to have no answer to their visitors’ onslaught as five goals were put away without reply before half time in spite of some tremendous saves by keeper Neal Makepeace and some particularly resolute defending from Matthew Bartlett.

A stirring half time team talk focussed the home team’s positional play and the need to play to the umpire’s whistle. This resulted in a much better performance during the second half. Although more goals were leaked, Yardley did manage to score a good goal of their own when Noor Zaman won the ball in their opponent’s half before making good ground and passing the ball left as the keeper came out which found fellow striker Robin Stanley who hammered the ball home.

 In some ways Yardley will be glad of a blank week next as their intended opponents have withdrawn from the league.