Lost 5-1
Scorers: Archie Barnes
MoM: Archie Barnes
DoD: Hursty
With thanks to team sponsor MPil http://www.ideaworks.co.uk
The pilgrims started the 2026-27 season with an unenviable tie against Canterbury 2s, albeit in the primetime 6pm slot.
The partisan crowd on the sidelines was more akin to a National League game and the hockey lived up to expectation. The game started at a rapid tempo, and the 2s press was super aggressive. However, the grims ably bi-passed the press through bombs unleashed by Coombsy, some say bigger than the great Huw Stevens.
The game settled into a pattern with the 2s dominating possession, and the grims looking dangerous in transition through the impressive pace and 3d skills of Archie Barnes, Arthur Aikin and Michael Sabine.
Alas, the rub of the green did not land in the D, and despite a number of chances shared – the grims found themselves 4-0 down at half time.
Rather than heads dropping, the grims battled hard in the second half, and scored through another lightening quick attack finished off by Archie Barnes. The engine room continued until the end, and a solid second half showing, led to a final score of 5-1.
There will be easier days for the grims, however, enough green shoots on display to suggest lots of encouragement moving forwards. Look forward to seeing a similar sized crowd next week, 3pm in Eastbourne….