HOCKEY: Harpenden 1s 3 Norwich City 1s 0 In glorious late September sunshine Harpenden opened their 2009/10 league campaign with a resounding 3–0 victory. The early exchanges did little to excite the massed spectators. This was definitely not the hockey t

HOCKEY: Harpenden 1s 3 Norwich City 1s 0

In glorious late September sunshine Harpenden opened their 2009/10 league campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory.

The early exchanges did little to excite the massed spectators. This was definitely not the hockey they had come to see. Neither side offered much and the first 15 minutes were a disjointed, scrappy affair. However, as the game progressed, Harpenden settled and began to impose themselves on the opposition with some precise build up play.

Harpenden's control of the game yielded the first short corner, after excellent play from Timms. The short corner team rolled into place and the expectant crowd waited for the fireworks. They surely could not have anticipated what was to follow. Tenacious defending from the Norwich City back line repelled the first attempt at goal, with the ball breaking to debutante Cannings at the top of the D. Keen to impress his skipper, Cannings attempted an ambitious reverse stick under-cut, which predictably flew over the top of the D to the right hand corner flag.

The momentum was clearly with the boys in the white shirts and it wasn't long until the City defence was breached again. Again clever work from the forward line earned a penalty stroke and Boyd-Clark stepped up to the ball and fired home.

Skipper, Bunbury used the break to re-iterate his tactics and his instructions had immediate impact.

From the restart Harpenden showed increased desire, leading to a sharp break from Baines earning another short corner.

Keen to make amends for his earlier indulgence, Cannings stepped up to the top of the D and this time took a slightly less Hollywood route, burying the ball into the bottom left corner.

With the game now effectively won, the rest of the match was played in the Norwich half. Brilliant attacking play between the triumvirate of Baines, Falk and Boyd-Clark set up a chance for the tireless Hudson to score.

He duly converted with little fuss to make it 3-0 and game over.

The Harpenden bandwagon hits the road next Saturday, with an away game at Ipswich.