Gorleston Hockey Club

Gorleston Men’s Hockey Club returned to League action, playing at home against Rutland HC 1st XI who began the day one point above Gorleston after picking up points with good results against some of the top teams in the League recently. This was a game both sides needed to win so that a gap could be opened up from the bottom two sides in the table.

Gorleston started this game extremely well and controlled the ball. Superb defensive tackling from Jamie Higginbotham snuffed out Rutland’s attack. Only five minutes in and Gorleston took the lead. A delightful aerial ball down the left wing from Jason Austin was picked out of the air by Simon Long, who then crossed the ball into the Rutland circle for Neil Hudson to shoot on goal. The Rutland Keeper impeded the ball, but only into the path of a stampeding Andrew Lilley, who ensured the ball crossed the goal line.

Gorleston then took control for much of the first half. The right wing then saw Kev MacDonald and Mark Vaudin combine to assault the Rutland defence and the resulting shot was just wide of the post. Rutland’s defence seemed destined to keep Gorleston’s attack out until Gorleston won a short corner. With the defence incredibly quick off the goal line, Gorleston employed some guile to slip the ball to Neil Hudson to shoot and Simon Long got in front of the Keeper to deflect the ball into the net and double Gorleston’s lead.

The half looked comfortably won until a moment of disaster befell Gorleston. In a rare attack in the first half, Rutland had a shot on goal that was comfortably dealt with bay Captain Barney King, but Gorleston could not clear the ball off his pads and Rutland poked the ball home just before half time.

In the second half, Rutland gained ascendancy in the game and gradually pushed Gorleston back into their own half. Despite this, Gorleston had chances to extend their lead, with Hudson, Vaudin and Richard Pallant all breaching the Rutland defence but unable to beat he visiting Keeper. Simon Harris chipped in with some delightful strong passes from midfield into the Rutland circle.

As the half wore on though Rutland penned Gorleston back and the home side were unable to clear their lines. Eventually the pressure told. Rutland moved the ball from left wing to right and around the Gorleston circle and eventually made a telling pass into the Gorleston circle for a shot on goal that drew the scores level with only minutes to go. Gorleston threw everything forward in the last few minutes of the game but were unable to trouble the Rutland Keeper. The game finished as 2-2 draw. Whilst this did not help either side move away from the foot of the table, other results keep the sides above within touching distance.

Next week Gorleston travel to visit Cambridge City 3rd XI, who are four points ahead of Gorleston, so it is another key game in the Hockey Club’s season. The teams drew 2-2 when they met at Cliff PArk in October.

Squad: B King (C), K MacDonald, R Harlow, J Austin, J Higginbotham, Martyn Vaudin, A Lilley, Mark Vaudin, S Harris, S Long, R Pallant, N Hudson, R Crawford.