Brentwood Hockey Club Men’s 1st XI v Plashet

Brentwood Hockey Club 9/3/24 – 14.15
Final score: 4-2

Colin Bannell
Arron Doyle
Steve Gilchrist
Matt Hadley
Alex Henderson
Derry Mager
George Lilley (C)
Alex Lewcock
Steve Naven
Jacob MacDonnell
Thomas Anderson
Andy Turner
Owen Smith (GK)
Paddy Wilson
Tom Creswell
Tristan Barnes

Alan Lindsay (Coach)

Three games to go and Brentwood need to win all three to have a chance of winning the league. First up is Plashet, who themselves need a win to stay in the promotion race. A larger then usual crowd pointed towards the importance of the game although spring like weather also may have boosted numbers.

Brentwood started well keeping the ball and moving a clearly well drilled Plashet side around however impatience from Colin Bannell as he tried to force a pass into Aaron Doyle presented the first D penetration and shooting chance to Plashet. Owen Smith saved. Brentwood hit back with Paddy Wilson charging down the right-hand side it was a pity his swing and miss attempted cross saw the ball rolling limply over the baseline.

Generally, Brentwood in the opening exchanges dominated possession but were struck with impatience and trying to force passes or runs that simply weren’t there. Colin Bannell, who would go on to have a strong game was a liability in this opening period. Again, it was his overambitious/misplaced pass trying to force territory that led to Plashet having a decent opportunity, Owen Smith on hand to make an excellent save in a crowded area, the ball finds its way to Aaron Doyle inside his on D but for the first time Brentwood have space. Aaron takes the ball down the pitch working the right-hand sideline brilliantly. The ball gets to captain George Lilly and he forces an excellent stop with the reverse, seven minutes in.

The game is becoming more end to end and Plashet go immediately into the Brentwood D and force the first penalty corner with the ball striking Colin Bannell’s foot. He rectifies the matter with a tremendous one run and sees away the danger. As the game opens up a little it becomes clear that Brentwood are attacking better on the counter, as opposed to the more patient build up against a massed defence. George Lilly again forcing a save from the Plashet keeper. An ugly looking clash of sticks brings a penalty corner to Brentwood in the 12th minute. Its certainly not the greatest worked penalty corner but in the melee the ball makes its way to Aaron Doyle who smuggles the ball in. 1-0 and deserved on the balance of play. This sets up Brentwood for their best period of combined possession and territory. Steve Naven has an excellent period being a real thorn in the Plashet side. He wins a number of penalty corners. George Lilly strikes most, and the keeper pulls of a number of really good saves. Whilst George’s strikes are excellent none are really in the corners. In this period Plashet lose a man to a yellow card a wild uncontrolled tackle. The old adage of needing to convert when on top comes back to haunt Brentwood. Plashet build up some pressure and they start to win a series of penalty corners. Alex Lewcock makes unnecessary contact with a Plashet attacker in the D. It sparks a series of pressure with Brentwood failing to clear their lines. The Brentwood crowd start getting restless wondering why George Lilly, who has been Brentwood’s most influential player has been off the pitch when most needed. On the 5th penalty corner the crowds’ mood gets even darker with the Brentwood one runner literally jumping out of the way allowing Plashet to equalise in the 25th minute.

Brentwood do respond well to this setback and again dominate the closing 10 minutes, Derry Mager and Alex Henderson both work good chances but despite these and some penalty corners half time sees the game even at 1-1.

We don’t the half time team talks but early in the second half the game feels like it could start to boil over. Alex Lewcock is involved in a running battle with a number of Plashet players. If the umpires had seen the off the ball incident where the Plashet number 7 went cowardly through the back of Alex with the play in the opposite half there surely would have been a red card. With tempers boiling over there was a lengthy stoppage in play after 8 minutes in the second half. The umpires appeared to disagree over the initial awarding of a penalty corner to Brentwood. Captains, coaches, players all broke into separate huddles. Eventually after a number of minutes the ball is returned to Brentwood in midfield. It was all very unsatisfactory.

Plashet coped better with this disruption. They put together the more coherent attacking moves and take the lead with an excellent attack down their left-hand side. Brentwood go a bit to pieces for five minutes. All are aware that this is an absolute must win game. But the passing becomes sloppy and shape is all but non-existent. But this side has come through too much to see their promotion bid fail in this way. Like a champion boxer recovering from a knock down they dust themselves off and finds their feet and go again. The final quarter of this game was genuinely impressive. All played their part. However, every team needs a hero and, on this day, up stepped Derry Mager. He had been quiet most of the game but he typified the Brentwood spirit, he like the team were just not going to be beaten. A hattrick in the last as he became unplayable. The first was a pure strikers instinct, right place, right time, no second invitation needed. The second was the pick of the goals. Derry simpled bullied Plashet. Driving from the right-hand side of the D, through and around defenders until he had space to get a shot off and going 3-2 up with the net rippling. The final goal was also a beauty. Aaron Doyle picks up the ball on the 25 just wide of the D, Derry makes an intelligent run into some space, Aaron balls the ball in fast and accurately and Derry with a beautiful deliberate deflection put the cherry on the cake.

Overall, this was an excellent win. Brentwood recovered well and better news was to follow as their main rivals, Chelmsford 2’s losing surprisingly to Witham. This leaves Brentwood on top of the league on goal difference (by 8 goals). Next week? Away at Chelmsford 2’s. Two games to go and this will probably decide who wins the league.

Brentwood Hockey Club

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