Potters out fighting

Worcester Pumas travelled to Solihull Blossomfield on Saturday 22nd of November for one of the tightest and most exciting games of the season. Worcester played the game without an adult coach on the pitch due to injury, but Fin Stanley, promoted to the mens side at the beginning of the season, stepped in to lead the defence from the back. The teams looked fairly evenly matched from the start, with a height and age advantage going to Solihull but some good skills on the Worcester side evening the match up out. The first half played out with both sides pushing to score from the start but neither able to break through the oppositions defences. Tension built throughout the half with both teams working hard on and off the ball. The second half started well, with Worcester playing the better hockey, passing the ball well and involving every player. With just 12 minutes of the half completed, a run from the right hand side by Will Randall, who had been threatening all match, set up an attack by Jacob Tribe which was slotted past the Solihull goalie by Rachel Hittchings, playing at left wing. This, however, spurred Solihull to work even harder and they repeatedly applied the pressure to the Worcester goal. Tired legs on the Worcester side showed and, against a team rolling substitutes on and off, they all pulled together well and held onto to the clean sheet till the end. Final score 1 – 0 to Worcester. A great team performance from Worcester, and both sides agreed a fantastic match to watch. The whole team deserved man of the match, with some amazing saves coming from Ali Hosseini, outstanding defence from Hope Dickson, Dominic Hole and Connor Winkworth, tireless work from Alex Byng, Rachel and Rebbeca Hittchings and Jacob Tribe, and a fantastic performance from Fin Stanley, Will Randall and Max Butterfield who rotated around, taking it in turns to strike at the Solihull goal. Having to pick man of the match was left to the opposition given it was such an outstanding team performance and it was awarded to Max Butterfield for his strength in carrying the ball the length of the field through the opposition.