Newmarket travelled to
Skegness for the second time this season for a top of the table
clash against an unbeaten Alford 1st team. Newmarket were
prepared for a tough game, but the first ten minutes of the game saw
Alford on the back foot, with Newmarket making their presence known.
Jefferson and D.
Badcock were the lynchpin of the attacking play, with Dawson and
Gallop providing the width. At the 15 minute mark Newmarket won a
short corner, which was taken well. Alford managed to clear it but
it fell to a Newmarket player who returned the ball to the D. the
ball hit a defender's foot and unexpectedly to Alford's advantage
was played to the yellow and blues, with Pears easily scoring,
making it 1-0 to Newmarket.
Frustration sunk into
the home team, who could not break through the defence of Drane,
Freed, N. Badcock and Harris. Alford then tried to force their way
into the game, making very physical tackles, but this was not a
playground and Newmarket were not prepared to be bullied out of the
game.
The home team looked
thankful for the half time whistle as their tempers began to flair
with Newmarket playing fantastic hockey.
The second half started
and Newmarket instantly put pressure on the home team, passing the
ball round them like they were cones on the training pitch. This
infuriated Alford, which showed in their neglect of the rules,
making several stick tackles. The umpires quickly stepped in when an
Alford midfielder made no attempt to get the ball during a tackle;
receiving a yellow card. But D. Badcock also saw yellow for his
angered verbal reaction. Newmarket reconfigured their team
accordingly but the home team didn’t. This made way for an attack
down the centre of the pitch. Starling received the ball at the top
of the D and made no mistake in hitting it past the 'keeper for his
5th of the season.
The remainder of the
game was goalless, with Newmarket working hard to keep the result
they had played so well to get.
The game finished 2-0
to Newmarket, putting them to the top of East Division 5NW ahead of
Alford I on goal difference.
Next week Newmarket are
at home to Boston II, looking to keep themselves at the top. Push
back at 1pm.
