Although Slazengers mens first eleven still went down 3-2 away at Sheffield Bankers, they will come away with the knowledge that they put together easily their best performance of the season and with a bit more luck, could easily have come away with all three points. Bankers would have been confident of recording a win and although they had plenty of possession, it was all in their own half and they rarely threatened the Slazenger goal.
The best chance of the first half fell to Slazengers captain Will Buckley who found himself in acres of space at the top of the circle, only to see his shot bounce back off the post. Typically of Slazengers season though, a bit of bad luck cost them just before the break, Bankers had an initial shot well saved by James Walker in goal, only for the rebound to find the goal off a complete miss hit.
The second half began with Bankers winning a dubious short corner which they duly converted and when they grabbed their third shortly afterwards, they would have thought they were going to run away with it. Slazengers however weren’t about to lie down and began pressing. They got on the score sheet when Phil Midgley converted excellently from a short corner and Paul Wiper came close, just failing to convert from a narrow angle after rounding the keeper. Slazengers continued to be the stronger side although Bankers did come close on a breakaway, Walker making a quality save high and to his left.
With time running out, Slazengers claimed their second, Simon Chamberlain converting a rebound after the Bankers keeper had made the initial save. Slazengers went looking for the equalizer, only for the final whistle to stop them in their tracks. Although it was a loss, Slazengers will look to the coming games confident that they can compete and will be looking for their first win of the season.
from (Ben Graham)
