Lost 4-1
Scorers: Cara Brogan-Jones
MoM: Laura Brightling, Amy Stoutt
DoD: Taylor Wise
With thanks to team sponsor L1 http://www.canterburyhockeyclub.co.uk/patrons
Canterbury 1s came away from a hard fought afternoon with a 4–1 defeat to Barnes 2s away in London. Canterbury started the match with high energy and immediately put Barnes under pressure, nearly finding the opening goal with the very first play of the game. However, Barnes quickly found their rhythm and took control of the opening stages, scoring in the 2nd and 5th minutes. Canterbury were forced to defend strongly but Barnes eventually added a third in the second quarter from a short corner, with the ball finding its way down the right- hand side of the goal. Canterbury responded with a fantastic team goal with Cara Brogan-Jones putting them on the scoresheet. Barnes responded just before half-time with a scrappy finish at the near post, leaving Canterbury 4–1 down at the break. Canterbury came out into the second half a brand new team. They dominated possession, put Barnes firmly on the back foot and significantly limited their attacking opportunities. A huge part of that pressure came from Laura Brightling and Amy Stoutt, who absolutely tore it up in midfield. Brightling and Stoutt were constantly involved, flying into tackles, winning challenges and repeatedly putting Barnes under pressure. Canterbury’s passing also began to click, with the team patiently moving the ball around and looking for opportunities to score. The pressure resulted in a number of chances, with the Barnes goalkeeper forced into some excellent saves. A tactical breakdown during a counter-attack saw Abbie Bean pick up a green card in the third quarter, but Canterbury continued to battle and saw out the remainder of the match without conceding again. Despite the final 4–1 scoreline, the second-half performance was a huge positive for Canterbury. Laura Brightling and Amy Stoutt took man of the match for their upbeat energy in midfield and fight. DOD went to Taylor Wise for a slight love tap of Abbie Bean’s car in her taxi services that morning.