Match Reports
30/09/06
West Hampstead 1-2 Men's 2nd XI
Following a tense cup victory the previous week, Brighton were looking to make their mark on the league as they took on West Hampstead in what proved to be a very tough encounter. Brighton’s promotion last year back into the South Open Premier Division ensured that the game was far from easy. However, it started well with Brighton showing strong early possession and they managed to test the opposition on a number of occasions. As expected, West Hampstead dug in deep and played some excellent hockey which would have resulted in a number of goals if it wasn’t for the resolute defending of the Brighton back four, which in turn was aided by the heroics of in-form goalkeeper Phil Oriss. The rest of the first half proved to be largely a midfield battle with Ben Butlin putting in a notable performance to thwart most of the opposition’s attacks. This effort resulted in the scoring of Brighton’s first league goal of the season, and they went into the break with a slender lead.
The second half demonstrated why Brighton will have to be on top form this season, as West Hampstead ploughed forward and won numerous short corners, none of which could be converted. The equaliser was largely seen by many to be inevitable and came about through some panic defending. A long corner was passed short to the forward who was able to draw defenders towards him before passing the ball to the scorer, who had the simple task of beating the Brighton keeper from close range. This spurred the home team into action and they advanced with a new enthusiasm and an eye for goal which ultimately led to a short corner, their second of the match. An impressive Simon Coles inserted the ball to John Child, who had a direct strike which was put in the back of the net by the inserter. The last moments of the game were fraught with tension as West Hampstead looked for the equaliser, and it seemed as though they might have grabbed a point when Sam Forster gave away a careless short corner. However, Brighton’s resilience proved too strong, and they managed to clear the ball to end the game on top. Overall, a solid performance from Brighton.
A special mention must also go the Footspa who has convinced his ladyfriend to marry him. Good luck Phil!