Men's 1st Team Vs Newtown

Yardley will be sorely disappointed to have lost out in their final home league game in the Warwick Printing Hockey League, West Midlands Division 1.

This high scoring and thoroughly enthralling game kept the spectators entertained throughout in the warm spring sunshine. Yardley started off at breakneck speed taking the game to their visitors and it came as no surprise that one of these early attacks led to them taking the lead. It was skipper, Zach Jarvis who capitalised on the visitors’ hesitant defence to put the ball away. Stung into action Newtown fought back with positive play of their own and they scored two quick goals to wrest back the initiative. Yardley continued with their attacking play and managed an equaliser. Gavin Hetherington advanced with the ball, but managed to fall over with no-one else around. He quickly recovered and managed to send a pass into the D to find Munib Altaf who slipped the ball to Noor Zaman whose firm shot levelled the scores. The home side continued to create some very promising attacks, threatening to score again. Noor Zaman’s shot on goal, deflected off a defender’s stick and into the goal. To their credit, Newtown kept at it and from a breakaway attack managed to level the scores again, just before half time.

During the second half, both teams continued to press forward at every opportunity, but it was not until mid-way through the half that the next goals came. Newtown’s attacking play forced a series of short corners, two of which were efficiently put away to establish a two goal lead and seemingly make the game safe. However, this incredible game was not over yet. Yardley continued to attack and went close a couple of times before eventually pulling one back. Good approach play from Noor Zaman gave Junaid Ali the opportunity for a simple tap-in. However, Yardley just could not produce another goal-scoring effort.

To score four goals in a game and to take the lead three times would surely have been enough to win most games. Credit to Newtown though, they kept their game together and just deserved the three points leaving Yardley wondering why they had come away empty handed. Yardley complete their season this week with the daunting prospect of a visit to already promoted Bloxwich.