Bracknell have only themselves to blame for not winning this game, as a seemingly wilful refusal to play their usual fluent passing game saw them capitulate in the first half. Gone was the short passing across the back line, gone was the movement in midfield to create space. Instead, their defence set the tone for the first half by trying to smash the ball up the pitch, bypassing the midfield. More often than, this aimless hit upfield was intercepted by Banbury. Add on top of that a carelessness when they did manage to string two passess together, and Bracknell were floundering. Banbury opened the scoring, but Bracknell were fortunate to get an equaliser following good work on the wing from Scott Elliott who set up Tom Scott. The diminutive front man notching his first goal of the season. But for Brac
knell that was the one bright spot in an otherwise dismal first period. Banbury soon regained the lead, and the half time score was 2 1 to the hosts.
Having been reminded by captain Tom Withey in no uncertain terms of the way they should be playing hockey, Bracknell improved in the second half. It still wasn't their best, but it was good enough to get back in the game. Winning a succession of short corners, Adrian Plant received the ball, and slipped it right to Richard Jones, who crashed the ball in to the goal.
Despite winning more penalty corners, the winning goal evaded Bracknell. A point gained or two points lost? The import of this result may not be known until the end of the season.