Petersfield Mens 2nd XI versus Portsmouth 3s

[Oops published this in next weeks game]

Another weekend of great availability Petersfield 2nd XI were able to field a very able and well balanced side to face Portsmouth 3s. We won the away fixture 5:3

With 15 players we had to have a plan. That plan was to play with extra intensity for the full 70 minutes (rather than the usual 15), and the plan paid off as you will see, read on.

It took Petersfield about 5 mins to settle, but they started the game well applying pressure in the Portsmouth half. The game was well balanced with good defending on both sides. Petersfield had a series of short corners but we could not inject the ball well enough to capitalise on the Lee Harris drag flick, but towards the end of the first half Ian Pruden broke the deadlock, striking a penalty corner with a looping shot into the bottom left hand corner. Half time 1:0 to Petersfield.

Petersfield were rolling players on and off every 2-3 minutes and in the second half this began to pay back. We were able to keep up the intensity and settle into a pattern of play that looked spectacular from the side.

At the half time team talk we spoke about running onto aerial balls in the hope that the defender would miss, leaving the attacker on goal. This worked, only not for us! early at the start of the second period Portsmouth threw an aerial that was missed by our defender, through on goal they scored to level the game. It was against the run of play and the extra legs that Petersfield had on the side meant we could continue the pressure on Portsmouth. With another series of short corners, this time with Ben White’s precise injection we were able to loose the Lee drag flick. It was saved but Nick Budden turned in the rebound. Back in the lead.

Next came a magnificent move, Harris with a diagonal reverse stick pass out to Josh Edney who was charging down the right wing. Josh ran all the way to the base line, in towards goal to cut back a pass for Tom Cooke Priest to slot away. 3:1.

Portsmouth were getting rattled and one of their players was sent off with a yellow. They did however score another breakaway goal to close the score. Petersfield however, were in a rhythm. Another great short corner, this time Lee Harris weaved the ball towards goal and Josh Bardoe slotted in from a gentle pass. Then Lee got one himself assisted by Ben White. 5:2

A moment of madness saw Jack Symes receive a green card. But once he was back on the field his adrenaline kicked in. He twice drove into the D first to assist Alex Young and then again to assist Dan Chung. Well done Jack.

Everyone played well, executed our plan brilliantly and displayed some beautiful hockey.

Next week we are away at Southampton, let’s go again.