After a good home win last week Slazenger men’s 2nd team were looking to go to Lincoln and get a result but only managed a 1-1 draw. The home side went ahead only a couple of minutes after the start with a well worked quick goal fed from midfield which split slazengers defence and was slotted passed the keeper. This seemed to wake slazengers up, as they seemed sluggish prier to the goal, and from this they seemed to work better as a team and started producing some good attacks.
This however was short-lived, as John Sykes was given a yellow card for a rough challenge on a Lincoln player and slazengers had to play on with 10 men. With things not going slazengers way it looked doubtful that they were going to get a win but slazengers equalised through a well-worked simple short corner scored by, Man of the Match, Matt Banks with a strike from the top of the D. Shortly after the goal Slazengers were back to 11 men on the pitch and by half time Slazengers had enjoyed most of the possession.
The second half started and continued as the first had finished with Ian Hedges and Byron Dean working well down the right wing and with John Sykes, Jake Barras, and Steve Johnson working hard up front. Slazengers created countless attacks but just couldn’t get the ball in the Lincoln goal. Lincoln defended well and counter attacked a couple of times while slazengers were exposed at the back with Richard Smyth making two great saves to keep the home side out.
Although Slazengers travelled to Lincoln looking for a win they went home happy with a draw and a good team performance, especially the 3 players who stepped up from the 3s (Ian Hedges, Nick slack, and Steve Johnson) to help out. Slazengers men’s 2nd team are at home next week against Scunthorpe men’s 1st at 1.30pm.
By Rob Whawell
From Match played at Lincoln Roses Hockey Club on Saturday 22nd January 2011
