Press Release

 

11Men’s Hockey National Veterans Plate Competition

 

Timperley  - 1  Charnwood Mountsorrel - 3

 

 

Charnwood Mountsorrel men’s veterans stormed through to the third round of the National Plate competition at the weekend (11^th Feb).  A hard-won victory at Altrincham-based Timperley means Charnwood are into the last 16 for the first time.

 

Timperley is one of the biggest clubs in the North West and its veterans team can draw on a large squad, many of whom still play at a high level.  So for much of Sunday’s first half, the visitors faced the sort of intense pressure they’d assumed would come.  Timperley proved to be a disciplined unit who played good, fast-moving hockey. Rarely dwelling on the ball for more than three touches, their competent midfield moved the ball quickly wide and set up repeated attacks down a mobile right wing.

 

Charnwood struggled to gain much effective possession, and a tightly marked forward line mustered only a few half-chances in the first twenty minutes. Defensively Charnwood were virtually faultless with Paul Carter and Tony Kirk, in particular, putting in several critical tackles around the top of the ‘D’. However Charnwood were kept in the race by two magnificent saves from Mick Barlow in goal; first a diving stick save to his right, and the second a superb tip-over-the-bar of a top corner-bound strike from the edge of the area.

 

Charnwood seemed to take heart from Barlow’s heroics. Their midfield unit won greater possession and set up numerous breaks for strikers Russ Seton and Kevin Stanton-King to exploit. The last 10 minutes of the half saw the visitors wrestle control from their illustrious hosts.  The first period ended with a string of Charnwood short corners and Timperley increasingly on the back foot.

 

From the start of the second half, Charnwood continued to assert themselves; in defence absorbing anything thrown at them and, on the attack, looking continually dangerous. 

 

Sadly the deadlock was broken against the run of play, and in controversial style. As Charnwood broke out of defence after another foiled Timperley foray, the Umpire awarded an inexplicable free hit to the home side.  Taken quickly, before a perplexed Charnwood could regroup, the ball fell to the opposing centre-forward who slammed home from close range.

 

Charnwood were stung into action and from then on it was largely one-way-traffic. The visitors began to play great hockey – retaining possession and breaking quickly with plenty of quick, short passes.  The tightening screw inevitably delivered results and Charnwood won repeated short corners. Several were cleared off the line or well saved by the ‘keeper until a Russ Seton drag-flick finally found the net and restored order. Minutes later and Seton converted from another short, this time working a perfect one-two around the runners with Ross Merrick.

 

The floodgates opened, as they’d threatened to all half, and Charnwood’s continued bombardment led to a third goal. Kevin Stanton-King’s perfect through ball was latched onto by Paddy Oakman, pounding in from the right, and slipped under an on-rushing keeper.  In the dying minutes Ross Merrick netted a fourth from another slick short corner move, but the goal was disallowed for a somewhat dubious third-party obstruction.

 

Charnwood’s victory means they now travel to Warwick on Feb 25^th to face the mighty Khalsa.

 

 

Squad:

Mick Barlow, Paul Carter, Dave Allen, Tony McKee, Tony Kirk, Gary Mason, Ross Merrick, Kevin Stanton-King, Mark Taylor, Chris Waterfield, Paddy Oakman, Russ Seton.