Lost 5-2
Scorers: Ben Young, Matt Carney
MoM: Alex Laslett
DoD: Sam Hoad
With thanks to team sponsor M1 http://www.canterburyhockeyclub.co.uk/patrons
Canterbury Men’s 1st Team fell to a 5-2 defeat on the road against London Wayfarers in Men’s Conference East on Sunday, in a game where the scoreline did not fully reflect the contest.
The hosts started aggressively and with a clear vision of how they wanted to press Canterbury. They held the momentum for the duration of the first half, making it difficult for the visitors to get going and find real opportunities. There were glimpses of Canterbury finding the answers they needed, but Wayfarers took a 1-0 lead into the break, reflecting their stronger start.
The second half began in similar fashion, with the hosts doubling their lead shortly after the restart. Canterbury responded quickly, though. Ben Young pulled a goal back from a penalty corner, and the visitors grew in confidence, enjoying real, meaningful possession and building their play well. Wayfarers extended their lead to 3-1, but Matt Carney replied almost immediately with a field goal to make it 3-2.
Canterbury stepped into another gear and put the hosts under real pressure, but Wayfarers stayed a step ahead, adding two more goals late on to seal the 5-2 win. There was another standout moment for goalkeeper Angus Crawford, who saved a third penalty stroke and continues his perfect record from the spot.
It was a tough result to swallow, and the score did not reflect the game. There were plenty of positives, particularly the way the team responded after the break, but also small, preventable mistakes to clean up and learn from. The squad will regroup and look to bounce back next week against Richmond