Slaz 2 Hull 0
The return of the Hockey season gave the boys a nice Sunday morning out in Harrogate. Hull was the first game and both teams played with a good intensity. Slazenger however had the majority of play and the ball and pegged Hull back to their half of the pitch. Solid defending from Scott Carruthers , Alex Jolly and James Armitage meant little came through our back 3. Matthew Chilton warmed to his role of midfield sweeper and took the ball to the opposition half drilling the ball forward with ferocity. Small triangles of play between Matthew, his sister Hannah( a stand in U16 boy) and Harry Gunning lead to the first Slaz goal. A drifting run from Gunning opened the defence and their keeper could keep out his rifle shot finish. Mercurial runs from Chris Gascoigne and Josh Dunstan meant that the Hull goal was under constant threat, yet it was a run up the wing by Dunstan that gave Slaz the second goal. Blaine Bennett , Josh Swallow and Gasgoinge were all waiting for a ball flashed across the box by Dunstan; yet it was ultimately Gascoinge who got his stick to it to press home the advantage.
Slaz 0 Harrogate 4
Harrogate was a horse of a different colour as their well drill squad brought forwards in numbers, the tricky runs and willingness to get behind the back four from Slaz had them all on the back foot. Danny Alderson, the Slaz keeper now had his work cut out and had to batter away shot after shot. Scott Carruthers cleared his lines well but the constant pressure from lightning quick passes meant the Slazenger boys were left standing whilst the Harrogate forwards quickly got around the back four and slotted home an easy goal. This pattern repeated itself before Hannah and Matthew Chilton took control of the midfield. A few flashes from Dunstan were not enough to make a telling reply and Harrogate caught Slaz on the break twice more to take the game.
Player of the day: Scott Carruthers
