Men's 1st Team Vs Barlaston

Yardley 4, Barlaston 6.

The old adage that a team is most vulnerable when it has just scored was put to the test as Yardley eventually came out second best in this high scoring basement battle between the two bottom sides in the Warwick Printing Hockey League,West Midlands Division One.

The visitors arrived half an hour late having been held up in heavy traffic on the M6. But despite the lack of a warm up, Barlaston immediately took the initiative and missed three good chances to open the scoring in the opening five minutes. Yardley then settled down themselves and took the lead in their first attack from a fierce reverse stick shot from Gavin Hetherington that gave the visitors' goalkeeper no chance.

Barlaston rallied after this set back and began to dominate the mid field exchanges. It was no surprise when the visitors achieved an equaliser after fifteen minutes followed by two further goals as the Yardley defence was found wanting. But with goalkeeper Neal Makepeace making a string of top quality saves, Yardley gradually came more into the game as the half time whistle approached and two goalmouth scrambles led to goals from Noor Zaman and Junaid Ali as Yardley took their chances to make the score 3-3.

Yardley continued to put Barlaston under pressure as the second half got under way. The hosts got their noses in front once again as Shawqi Naji scored a fourth Yardley goal and the home team began to believe that they might achieve their first win of the season. But whilst Yardley were still celebrating, a swift counter attack led to Barlaston scoring an immediate fourth goal themselves.

At 4-4 either side looked capably of winning the game. But with a few minutes to go, Barlaston were awarded a penalty corner that Yardley were unable to defend. Barlaston took full advantage of the opportunity to score a fifth goal rapidly followed by a sixth in the last minute as the home side finally found themselves on the wrong side of the score line.

Report by Chris Wadhams