Match Report for Sat 7^th Mar 2009

Cleevillians 3 Lydney 3

Despite a disappointing draw, with three games to go, Cleevillians remain top of the Hereford & Gloucester League 1 on goal difference ahead of Cheltenham B, whom they play in 2 weeks time.

Although Cleevillians played the better hockey, Lydney deserved a draw for their fighting spirit. The game however will be remembered not so much for the hockey, but more for the extraordinary behaviour of one of the officials!

Lydney opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Tony Pierce stopped the ball on the goal line with his foot and conceded a penalty flick. Minutes later Vince Clark was yellow carded but 10 man Cleevillians managed to pick up their game and from a short corner 17 minutes into the game, Scott Mcilquaham resisted the temptation to shoot and instead played an intelligent pass to Jack Chandler who tapped into an unguarded net.

Cleevillians started the second half on the front foot with Vince Clark forcing a good save from the Lydney Keeper after 5 minutes. Mark Johns made a great clearance after quarter of an hour from a short corner, minutes before Vince Clark picked the ball up from just inside the oppositions half, ran through the heart of the Lydney defence and then set up Tom North who smashed the ball into the right of the goal.

Lydney then enjoyed a good 10 minute spell, scoring twice in 2 minutes, to go 3-2 up. Their first was from a well worked free hit just outside the penalty area and the second from a short corner.

Cleevillians equalised with only 3 minutes remaining, Scott Mcilquham made a forceful run into the opposition’s penalty area and laid the ball into the path of Jack Chandler, who drove a reverse stick shot low to the keepers right. This ground seems to bring out the best in Jack Chandler who apart from scoring 2 goals on the back of a good performance scored a wonder goal at the same venue last year.

Jake Windsor on for the last 10 minutes, impressed on his debut at full back, making an important clearance in front of goal and then with a minute to go was unlucky not to score the winner when his shot from wide on the edge of the penalty area whistled inches from the left hand post. The fracas that occurred after the final whistle amongst some of the Lydney players and their umpire should not detract from the way they played, as a unit, against the league leaders.