Men's 1st Team Vs Evesham

Yardley will feel as though they should have come away with at last a share of the spoils in this close encounter in the Warwick Printing Hockey League West Midlands Division 1.

Both teams started brightly with play fluctuating from and to end. Evesham had the first shot on target but keeper Neal Makepeace saved low to his right. Yardley created their own chances but put them wide. Eventually Yardley took the lead through a well-taken goal by their skipper, Zach Jarvis. He began his run on the half-way line, powered forward and seeing a gap, went on himself rather than consider other pass options. As he entered the D a defender was about to make a tackle but he fired his shot high into the back of the net, evading desperate efforts by the keeper. In spite of much pressure Yardley held on to their slender lead until the break.

The second half continued in much the same vein. Evesham pushed hard to get back on terms but Yardley spurned good chances to add to their lead. First Noor Zaman went through on a one to one with the keeper but just flicked wide. Then Munib Altaf also messed up a good chance created by Zachariyya Asif.  Somewhat against the run of play at this time, the home team did manage to score an equaliser with a good goal to bottom right of the goal.

The game seemed to b e heading for a draw when Evesham grabbed a somewhat controversial late winner. The ball appeared to be lifted into the D and then bounced up off the ground, but the Evesham striker managed to get a stick onto the ball to deflect it into the net. Certainly the Yardley defence thought the whistle should have been blown for an offence. Even the Evesham players were surprised when the goal was allowed to stand, the umpire ruling that it was not dangerous.

Evesham claimed the three points but Yardley will be much aggrieved that they did not get at least a draw out of this competitive but enjoyable game.

This week Yardley face the first of four tough games to finish their campaign when they entertain promotion hopefuls, Oswestry.