MEN’S HOCKEY

VETERANS NATIONAL PLATE COMPETITION

Plate flurry from Charnwood Jan 15^th 2006

Charnwood Mountsorrel 4 - 1 Wakefield

After a slight stutter, Charnwood Mountsorrel Veterans HC progressed comfortably into the second round of the National Plate competition.

Sunday’s home tie against an experienced Wakefield side ultimately went well for Charnwood. However there were clear signs that the festive period had taken its toll on fitness and basic skills. An injury to skipper Chris Waterfield also resulted in a late re-organisation. New signing Mark Taylor slotted into the crucial central midfield role.

Charnwood started strongly moving the ball well through midfield and regularly finding the spritely forward pairing of Russ Seton and Mark Weaver in plenty of space. Kevin Stanton-King at right half enjoyed the luxury of some informal marking and posed a constant threat to Wakefield along the flank.

Ten minutes in and it was a blistering free-hit from Stanton-King, on the right, that broke the deadlock. Keeper and sweeper both failed to deal with the incoming ball and Russ Seton capitalised to poke the ball home from short range.

Charnwood continued to dominate in the opening phase, with little response from the visitors. Several more clear chances went begging until a well-worked short corner saw Seton convert with a low flick.

Wakefield then began to assert themselves in midfield as post-Christmas fatigue seemed to ebb over Charnwood. Untidy play turned ball after ball over to Wakefield who finally pulled a goal back from an unstoppable short corner. At half time Charnwood were disappointed not to have already secured the game, but also somewhat fortunate to have retained the lead.

The early part of the second half continued in this vein. Charnwood’s defensive unit of Graham Wolloff, Tony Kirk, Paul Carter and Ed Allen was tested continually. In the first fifteen minutes, two goal line clearances kept Charnwood’s lead intact. Despite good work from Dave Allen and Ross Merrick in midfield, the home side struggled to recreate their earlier coherent play and seemed unable to find openings for their strike force.

The turning point came midway through the second period. New boy Mark Taylor broke from the centre and evaded the close attentions of his tireless marker. With a precise pass from the 25 yard line he found Kevin Stanton-King in space to the right of the Wakefield D. Taylor continued his run, collected the ball back from King at the top of the circle and finished clinically low to the keeper’s right.

The renewed two goal cushion buoyed the home team as much as it deflated the visitors. The last 15 minutes were all Charnwood, who regained their earlier composure and piled on the pressure. The final onslaught was rewarded when a fierce drive from Stanton-King was only partially cleared by the Wakefield keeper. Russ Seton was first to the loose ball and fired in from 3 yards to complete his hat-trick and a satisfying victory for Charnwood. The team now waits in anticipation to see who they will face in the second round.

Squad:

Mick Barlow, Ed Allen, Graham Wolloff, Paul Carter, Tony McKee, Ross Merrick, Dave Allen, Kevin Stanton-King, Mark Taylor, Tony Kirk, Mark Weaver, Russ Seton, Gary Mason

From Russ Seton