Mens 3 vs St Neots 1

A derby day! Fresh breeze in the air and a team with a substitute, what more could you possibly ask for…..

Ives we’re pumped ready to end Neots’s 9 win on the bounce streak (Thanks DJ for that one).

Push back number 1: A solid start for the first 60 seconds saw us contest for the ball well, captain fantastics words of simple hockey ringing in our ears.

61 seconds, Pete squared the ball to their striker 1-0.

Push back number 2: Game faces on quick reaction let’s go! Ives push forward, Neots counter with a quick central ball, held up and slipped through for a 1 on 1 with Denman. 2 - 0 ahh.

Push back number 3: Third times a charm, Neots counter, short corner, shot…. What’s that… a stick save on the line by Pete, rebounds into a scrappy D, Denman makes a save, Jago tries to clear, Neots fling another one goal bound, stopped on the line by a stray foot, from Pete again….. P Flick, 3-0.

Push back number 4: Ives decided to go cheeky, an immediate turn into the Neots half and we were away, front foot found and on the up, some neat play froM Dave Jack on the left and Ranner on the right saw us exploit the wings. Ball pinged up to Jon Say, short corner Ives. DJ fires it in to DJ who flicks it superbly only to be clawed away by the Neots keeper. Ives kept the pressure and soon had another PC, this time a short slip left and a slap across by Pete, deflected goal bound by Tom only to be kept out by another stop on the line.

In unrelated news, Neots scored another one or two before halftime.

Halftime team talk: Dave Jack spoke some good sense and it worked.

The second half we came out like a seagull eyeing up that last chip. Runs in the middle we’re fluid, space was being found and after some interlinking play through the middle with Myles and Jon P, we managed to get another short thanks to Jon S. Played straight to Pete, a mistrap, followed by a one two with Ranner and reverse bobble across the face of the goal through the keeper. Not quite the routine but a goal none the less.

We didn’t have to wait long for a second, as again a swift ball round the right found Ranner who wiggled into the D feeding a nice pass to Jon Say, no invitation was required and Jon smashed it passed the scrambling Neots keeper.

Unfortunately for Ives the comeback stopped here, and in truth we conceded a few more goals to a fairly clinical Neots front line.

Some honourable mentions:

Dave Jack playing well beyond his years being vocal throughout.

Jago for his classic derby day antics resulting in a more than a few Neots frustrations and a card, and for almost having a reverse stick shot after somehow ending up in the opposition D.

Pete for a stick save high up on the line towards the end.

We go again next week in a bottom third clash with Cambridge South, with Ives keen to get these last few wins they need to confirm their safety.

Viva the 3s.