Match Report : Nigel Spencer-Knott

Result : LOSS 2-3 vs Hertford

Goals : Pom, Mastroddi

Right from the first moments Tankards envisaged a difficult game. Push Back, no we pushed to them and then found they were not going to give it back. In the first quarter we were their equal and doing well with Tony Mastroddi and Os (Simon) Bate combining well, striking the ball into their D but missing our strikers. Hertford had some very fast forwards and one outstanding teenager at centre half providing several superb passes. Luckily their forwards failed to capitalise on these efforts especially when one v one against Patti. After about 15 to 20 minutes at a short corner, Os had to drop out, having hurt his lower back. Tankards managed to survive with players being required to take up slightly varied positions. Half time there were no goals to either side. Oliver Yaoz must have felt he was being unfairly treated as they always had two players marking him. Peter Roughton had another very active game.

In the second half Tankards made a point of trying to keep the ball in the Hertford half. This paid off and once with the D becoming overcrowded by Hertford players, a loose ball was pounced upon by Sniffer Pom; his strong hit cracked against the back board. A few minutes later we were awarded another short corner which Nigel S-K decided to inject, speed and accuracy of injection had fallen short before. Tony Mastroddi received and flicked the ball into the top of their net.

At 2 – 0 Tankards hoped to keep Hertford out. Sadly, some stray passes out by Tankards were pushed straight back towards our goal and then hit very hard into our goal. Os came back onto the pitch for the last 5 minutes which was a great help. The score remained 2 all until the final minute. They had a short corner, our fastest runner was deemed to have set off too soon but we survived until shortly afterwards a powerful hit just wide of goal was touched in by Hertford.

A 3-2 loss was disappointing but all had played well and enjoyed the experience.