White inspires Exiles to beat Stortford
St Albans Exiles 6 Bishop s Stortford III 4 EXILES welcomed back top scorer Simon White to the side as they took on Bishop s Stortford III at Clarence Park. And it was as if White hadn t been away as he bagged himself four goals. The Exiles team sheet wa
St Albans Exiles 6
Bishop's Stortford III 4
EXILES welcomed back top scorer Simon White to the side as they took on Bishop's Stortford III at Clarence Park.
And it was as if White hadn't been away as he bagged himself four goals.
The Exiles' team sheet was probably one of the strongest for a couple of seasons and some of the hockey was superb.
Both sides were well matched and played in similar on-the-break attacking hockey, but it was the midfield quality of Black, Lister, Cowan and Jones who made the difference to the outcome of the match.
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Things looked bleak early on as the Exiles found themselves 2-0 down with strikes from close range, the second of which came from from a slick penalty corner which caught the defence out and which resulted in the ball being fired into the corner of the net giving both 'keeper and defender no chance.
The Exiles quickly got themselves back into the game before half time with fast flowing hockey.
The second goal was one of the best goals this season. A quality tackle by new boy Dave Reeves in his own D saw the ball played with three long, fast passes into the back of the Stortford net.
In the second half, the Exiles were in more control but slipped behind again as the defence were out numbered. Despite a save from Jerry Fretter, the ball rebounded kindly back to the Stortford striker who couldn't miss from close range.
Exiles pressed on and equalised for the third time from a penalty corner routine, which also worked well last week.
The Exiles effective sealed the match with two quick strikes to take a 6-3 lead and put their opponents out of the game, however their opponents did score again late on from a mishit penalty corner which wrong-footed the Exiles' defenders and was poked in from close range.
Exiles held on for a 6-4 win, but with the number of chances created they could easily have got into double figures.
Exiles' other goals came from pocket dynamo James Cowan.
The result lifts the Exiles into fifth place in the 4SW Division table with a visit to Broxbourne II next week.
Exiles: Fretter, Bird, Winter, Thomas, Dorsett, Reeves, Lister (c), Black, Jones, Cowan, Freedman, White.
