Stourport Hockey Club match report
On Saturday (September 20), with a late 6pm hit back the men's 1st Xi achieved a 2-1 victory over their visitor's to 'The Kingsway' Nottingham University 2nd's in their opening match in the Midlands Men's Conference league. The students began the match the stronger but it was Stourport who had the opening shot from Leo Delves whose shot went narrowly wide. Despite some fine saves by Alex Cook, who was playing his last match in the Stourport goal it was the visitors that took the lead Nottingham forward dinking the ball past Cook to make it 0-1 at the break.
A tactical change by Stourport's new coach, Elliot Foweraker, gave the home side a much better structure and allowed them to play better hockey throughout the second half. But, for Stourport captain Andy Cavendish picking a drag flick off the line, Nottingham would have added another goal. Stourport breathed again and in the last 15 minutes of the match Dan Hurley pulled the two sides level after a driving run down the right hand side of the pitch before delivering the ball across the circle for the returning Tom Clifford to tap in from close range. In what was a quite remarkable turnaround in the opening match of the season in the last minute the ball fell to Callum Stanley who smashed the ball into the top of the net, to secure a 2-1 victory in the opening match of the season.
Stourport ladies 1st XI began their Midlands Women's Conference season with a big match when they entertained Leicester City 1st s at 'The Kingsway' only to lose 1-2. Stourport dominated the first half with some lovely spells of possession but were unable to breach the Leicester defence as they went into the half time break at 0-0. Leicester had the better start to the second half as they took the lead, before a Holly Smith rocket of a reverse hit equalled things up. Leicester weren't put off by this and with only minutes to go added a second to secure the three points.
Stourport ladies 2nd XI concluded their warm up matches with a 2-2 draw despite being 2-1 ahead at the break. Shrewsbury pressured the Stourport goal from the off, but were unable to take advantage, and as the half progressed the home side began to find their feet threatening their visitor's goal more and more. The balance of play swing in Stourport's favour with them taking the lead and not long afterwards the home side added a second. Shrewsbury weren't out this match though and before the half time break the visitors pulled a goal back.
Shrewsbury came out in the second half with a renewed vigour, where they'd missed the fifty/fifty balls in the first half they were intercepting them in the second and where they were letting Stourport's players space in the first half they were closing them down in the second. Stourport rallied and again began to pressure their visitor's goal and had looked to finish their warm programme with a win, however, with the final whistle only a breath away Shrewsbury were awarded a short-corner, which under the rules must be taken, and with the final hit of the match Shrewsbury drew level.
