ROYSTON III: 1
HARPENDEN III: 2
12.03.05

The Royston away game is always a highlight in the 3s calendar, although not necessarily for the quality of the hockey played. Or even the golf for that matter.

Having enjoyed the rather sedate nightlife of Cambridge, the home of East Anglia Poly, the previous evening, les super bleues were firing on cylinders. Indeed, when Harpenden pulled up to Brassingbourne Barracks they made the cadets look like slovenly studies of flanerie in comparison.

Overcoming the self-inflicted adversity of hangover however proved to be less difficult than possibly anticipated with Harpenden creating good chances from the off. James Keith found himself with time and space in the D, and will be disappointed not to have scored. Soon after, his brother found a foot on the line from a reverse stick flick. The umpire was a little lenient in not giving the flick.

It took some trickery from Richard Poultney down the right to unlock the Royston defence, and allow Tom Preest to edge beyond Malcolm Jones as club top scorer. When he doubled his tally in the second half, with what could be best described as a stumble over the line, Preesty leaves Jones needing a ‘trick in the final game to earn the accolade of the Golden Stick.

If it was not for the quality of the Royston keeper the score-line could have been more defiant. As it stood, Harpenden had a nervous last ten minutes after Royston scored off a short corner. It was unfortunate as conceding the goal belied the quality of Dave Wain’s keeping in only his second game between the posts. The score line remained 2-1 to give Harpenden a deserved victory.

Thanks are extended to James Bird for letting his inimitable organisational skills come to the fore once again in putting together the Away Day,

Two more goals for Top Scorer of the Year Shoe-in Tom Preest