Stuttering Men’s 1s

The M1’s entertained bottom of the league Plymouth Marjon on Sunday in the first of the reverse EHL West Conference fixtures and their last game before the mid-season break.

Hawks started brightly enough, some deft elimination work from Julian Laird resulting in him hitting the post off his reverse stick in the third minute of the game.  But unusually Hawks defensive work was sloppy and within minutes they had conceded a soft penalty corner.  The ever-dependable Ed Ellis took the first effort off the line, but Hawks failed to clear their lines properly and a second penalty corner followed which was converted despite an excellent first save by Phil Hargraves and another goal line save from Ellis.  Hawks’ lethargy continued and just before the first quarter break a second Plymouth goal was ruled out for an infringement in the build up play.  The visitors always looked a threat on the counter and, not to be denied, added a second goal shortly after the first quarter break, again from a penalty corner and again despite an excellent initial save by the evergreen Hargraves.  The score remained 2-0 to the visitors at half time, leaving Hawks in need of a wake-up call.

It didn’t come quickly but Hawks did finally establish some control of the game in the second half and their first penalty corner minutes before the third quarter break saw a neat, worked move finished off smartly by Jack Hobbs.  Hawks kept up the pressure despite the ongoing counterattack threat of the visitors and after failing to make the most of one penalty corner, worked their third penalty corner allowing Austin Greenlee to finish from close range.  Hawks searched for a winner, but in truth their inability to retain the ball in the final third of the pitch let them down and Hawks had Hargraves to thank for an excellent save in a 1 on 1 with a Plymouth striker from another swift counterattack minutes before the end.

So a disappointing performance to round off the first half of the season, but second place in the league table just three points behind the leaders means that there will be much to play for when league action resumes in February.