Men's 4th XI Vs Stone 4

Telford and Wrekin fourths started the New Year at St. Georges against Stone fourth team. Telford took a couple of minutes to ‘find their feet’ but were soon enjoying most of the possession and creating chances on the Stone goal. In the tenth minute a rapid counterattack saw Telford take the lead. Matt Cousins breaking forwards to the Stone twenty-three passed to Will Thompson top D, Will moved the ball to Josh Sykes a couple of metres out right of goal who dragged the keeper out and passed the ball to Roger Marsh on P spot, Roger pushed into the goal. Stone kept pressing the Telford defence but struggled to find many opportunities. Twenty-first minute saw Telford score again thanks to the first of three assists from the returning Tom Lauder. A precise pass to George Pittson right D was "powered" into the net much to the shock of the Stone defence.

A minute later Tom Lauder made a great run into the D taking out the Stone defence and the keeper from his goal to set Roger up for a simple reverse stick tap in at the left post. The goals kept coming at this point and George Pittson was on hand in the twenty-fifth minute to score his second of the game. A Tom Lauder shot was retrieved by George and well dispatched into the goal. Telford continued to press until half time, but the Stone defence and keeper were able to keep the score at four nil going into the second half.

Stone started the second half well and earned themselves a goal in the fortieth minute. A break down the right resulted in a pass top D to the Stone centre forward who found a small space to control and quickly shoot into the bottom left corner past the outstretched Nathan Capes who was welcomed back to the fourth team this week. Telford were quick to respond with a goal of their own on minute forty-three. Tom Lauder found Josh Sykes on the baseline tight of goal. Josh somehow managed to squeeze the ball behind the Stone keeper and into the goal from the most ridiculous of angles, much to everyone's astonishment!  

As the game progressed Stone were able to keep Telford at bay for large spells but struggled to maintain any attacks as the Telford defence held strong. In the fifty-eighth minute Paul Cousins took a free hit wide left in between the halfway and the twenty-three, he found Roger top left D who found Scott Marshall breaking into top D, Scott found George to his right whose shot hit the left post and Tom Lauder finished bottom left for a well-deserved goal. Telford had a penalty corner in the sixty-fourth minute. A slightly wayward injection right of top D from James Sevens paid dividends as it enabled Roger to receive and drive past the top defender for a powerful shot onto top backboard with the distance to goal halved. Game finished seven to one for Telford.

Man of the match was Will Thompson who continues to find decisive passes, be strong in possession and works hard to get the ball back on defensive duties. Many thanks to captain Tom Hurst who gave up his game to umpire so the rest of us could play and Gwynne Goodfield for volunteering also.

Goals; Roger Marsh – 3 (10 FG, 22 FG, 64 PC)

           George Pittson – 2 (21 FG, 25 FG)

           Joshua Sykes – 1 (43 FG)

           Tom Lauder – 1 (58 FG)

Assists; Tom Lauder – 3 (21 FG,22 FG,43 FG)

             Joshua Sykes – 1 (10 FG)

             George Pittson – 1 (58 FG)

Umpires; Tom Hurst, Gwynne Goodfield

Man of the Match; Will Thompson