Boys' U15B v Solihull

Date: Tuesday 26th January

Venue: Home, 5.30pm start

Team:

Result:

W 6-0

Match Report:

This was a comfortable victory, as expected, although there is still much for the team to learn from the match, for when we play stronger sides.

Ethan Coupland-Smith opened the scoring after 5 minutes, only to be trumped by a cracking goal from Will Fox-Davies a few minutes later. Coupland-Smith replied within 40 seconds, however, scoring from the re-start, and had his hat-trick less than ten minutes later, to earn himself top bragging rights among the strikers. Other goals came from Seb Howle (who had a fantastic game - how we wish he'd been available for the Trent match) and Lygon Bowen-West (or was it?!).

So, we were 6-0 up at half-time, but Solihull came back strongly in the second half and, although we had about ten chances to score to their one, it was goalless from this point. It is worth the team noting why their second-half performance did not measure up to the first: in their enthusiasm to score yet more goals, they pushed forward a little too much, losing the team 'shape'; there was less smooth passing on our part, and Solihull were able to regain possession and break more frequently. The boys need to be confident in their ability to play better, more patient hockey - and we will score more goals than by frantic scrapping.

Alex Annable is exempt from the above criticism: he had an excellent game, positioning himself with intelligence to receive both passes and loose balls, and then start the build-up to the next attack. Simple, yes, but effective.

JMJH

Goals: Coupland-Smith (5, 11, 20), Fox-Davies (11), Howle (17), Bowen-West (23)

Man of the Match: Annable