Worcester 2's beat derby team Stourport 1-0

2nd Team Match Report

Stourport vs. Worcester 7th November 2015

OK After a week off the 2nd team resumed with a game against local rivals Stourport a game that requires a step up in both mental and physical attitude due to the nature and quality of the opposition. Worcester who were on the back of 6 successive league wins over the last 3 years vs Stourport 2nds were keen to keep the run going.

A slightly changed team for Skipper Watling to organise and in the warm up there was a slightly nervous atmosphere building in the Worcester team. These nerves were eased by the experienced Hooper who had explained that the team must keep calm and restrained throughout the game and most importantly not lose control and get all crazy…… say no more!

The game started and was an instant battle for control to hold the midfield, Worcester started to hold the ball and play in patterns both with short passes and when required with huge A bombs being dropped on the forward line from Max Braddick who missed the last game as he had been on a “job” the previous week in Manchester. These aerials were inch perfect and didn’t allow the umpires to get involved & Worcester had a couple of chances but the Stourport defence were able to hold Worcester back and keep the danger away and often turning their defence into attack. 6 mins in to the game we could already see that this was going to be our toughest game of the season so far. Stourport broke down the right and played in their centre forward who was just denied by James Neal playing in the sweeper role for only the second week. The tackle was timed to perfection he retained possession moved the ball on to his open stick and sent a missile up the pitch to Jeff Drake who was ready to receive the pass. Jeff collected the pass with his right foot and duly limped away while Stourport were taking the free hit. Jeff continued on, trying to run the impact off but everyone could see that the James’s pass had left its mark. Each Step that Jeff took after that seemed to hurt just a little bit more.

OK Tom Allen did manage to lighten the tension for a few minutes with an unbelievable tackle to stop a Stourport attack he ran in stopped and took the ball clean while performing a north south splits that went hockey balls deep into the astro. He managed to get to his feet and knock the ball on to Sullivan before turning to receive he judges scores. 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 2.3 we think the 2.3 mark was a Stourport fan. Unlucky Tom.

Worcester continued to create chances but couldn’t convert due to a strong defensive display from Stourport and each time the Worcs attack broke Stourport came back at Worcester. The Worcester Defence again marshalled by Tom Dalton was on fine form. James Neal taking command of every situation and backing up every player when required, continued to take the ball from a stourport stick at will and again not giving the Umpires any chance to get involved. The confidence this gave the Worcester team helped them to start winning battles in every part of the pitch. Hooper and Joe Sullivan working together started to dominate the middle of the pitch forcing errors from the stourport players. Which lead to Oli Davis, Oli Ranscombe and Henry Jeffs all getting chances to run at the Stourport defensive line and all 3 causing havoc but again could not get the shot away.

Half time 0-0 to Worcester OK

OK Watling gathered his men for the team talk and quite rightly heaped praise on them for the discipline work rate and effort that every player had just put in, this was in between checking that everyone was OK. He also demanded that another 35 mins of that same effort was required and checked everyone was OK with that.

OK The second half started the and the game started to open up at both ends of the pitch but with Worcester playing the better style of hockey. Stourport playing a fast break attack each time was stopped in sublime fashion by James Neal who was sometimes helped by Watling, Braddick and Allen. James Neal was fast emerging as the standout player of the day. Stourport did manage to get a couple of shots off which were all batted away by Tom Dalton pulling off the save of the season so far, a full stretch dive to his right picking a ball that was flying into the top corner. This was a reminder to the Worcester team that for all their good work the game was still in the balance.

OK The game was a little more even in the last 20 mins and Worcester were kept level by Tom Dalton and James Neal making save after save and tackle after tackle following a sustained period of attack from Stourport. The amount of work that Worcester had put in was starting to show and each Worcester attack lost a little bit of pace as legs started to tire. Jeff Drake also running like every other step was in a pot hole the Worcester attack was starting to be swallowed up by stourport a little easier than we would have liked.

OK 5 mins to go Worcester seemed to raise the level as a collective and piled the pressure on the Stourport back line but still couldn’t get the ball in the net having a number of very good chances. Stourport did manage to win a couple of short corners from feet just outside the Worcester D. And it looked like they were going to steal the game. Dalton who was on top form managed to block everything and the second short made a superb double stop from a direct shot which went low then a shot which was going high in to the goal. Tom Dalton also seemed to be looking for man of the match votes.

OK With only 2 mins left Hooper picked the ball up on the half way line beat the 1st man and the second got to the edge of the D and hit a reverse pass to the flick spot where a Jeff stood in wait, a melee followed and the ball popped out to the right side of the D the skipper Watling picked the ball up made a little slip pass to Oli Ranscombe running in side to the top of the D and smashed the ball in to the Stourport goal. This goal was celebrated like it deserved (Dalton and Hooper leading the shout) and Worcester had finally made the break though.

OK by the time the game restarted there was only 30 secs left of the game. This was enough time to see Stourport get possession and build and couple more attacks and again both were stopped by James Neal, who else? and then the final save of the game for Dalton although this was a routine kick out. 3 mins later the final whistle went to roar celebration from the Worcester players. 1-0 Worcester.

OK With 3 standout people in the running for Man of the match votes the team voted James Neal as a well-deserved MOM performance for 2 main reasons 1st his awesome match performance but it seems the 2nd reason was for breaking Jeff Drakes foot 2 mins in to the game with that missile pass. Jeff Drake now has his foot in a cast for 6 weeks. Get well soon Jeff.

OK The other award went Tom Allen for not receiving the perfect 10’s for his gymnastic prowess. Somewhat unlucky I think as there were others who could have took the award on the day. The Captain America shout came in just too late.