Press Sport
Hockey: Power-surge shorts as Acomb fall to defeat in second half
10:53am Tuesday 21st February 2012
A SECOND-HALF flop ended with Acomb Hockey Club men’s first team crashing 4-2 at home to Huddersfield thirds in division four of the Yorkshire League.
The Tangerines started strongly and opened the scoring by catching Huddersfield on the break, Stu Rushworth’s reverse stick strike hitting the net.
Huddersfield countered quickly and replied with two soft goals.
But before half-time parity was restored when a well-timed ball from Paul Wicker found Pete Hilton in the circle. He calmly drew out the ’keeper, rounded him and slipped the ball home from a tight angle.
However, in the second half Acomb struggled to hold the ball, a malaise worsened when they were reduced to ten men for ten minutes after Simon Theaker was yellow-carded.
The hosts lost their impetus, blighted by several more harsh decisions, and conceded two unanswered goals enabling the visitors to leap-frog them into third place.
There was no game for Acomb men seconds.
It was honours even for Acomb ladies seconds, who prised a valuable point from their trip to fourth-placed Harrogate thirds.
Acomb enjoyed the bulk of possession, Vicky Wrigley and Wendy Watson forcing the Harrogate ’keeper to make some good saves.
In defence, Jane Elsworth, Kerry Woods and Sally Harrison produced pivotal pin-point tackles.
Acomb goalkeeper Sarah Milburn was not really called upon until Harrogate caught Acomb on the break, but she charged from her line and cleanly took the ball in a great diving tackle.
The second half was much the same with neither team able to take the upper hand, though Harrogate’s frustration grew with a brace of strikes rightly disallowed for a high ball and foot in the area.
The player of the match went to Woods for a superb performance at centre-back.