Club to fine partygoers
Newmarket Hockey Club are to fine party-going
players who were late to bed on the day of their local derby against
Ely on Saturday.
The club won't name the offenders but a spokesman
says action will be taken against those who were reported to have
had only a few hours sleep before the game.
Ely fought back from 2-0 down to win the Norwich
Union East League Division Two North match. It was their first
victory in the competition this season.
Jimmy Robinson shot Newmarket ahead when he
collected Benny Bennett's pass and scored from an acute angle after
beating a defender. Lee Blades increased their lead with a brilliant
first time effort, his seventh league goal this season, Bennett
again the provider.
Just before half-time Rob Hallett pulled a goal
back for Ely, chipping the ball over goalkeeper Jon Hall.
Ely welcomed back former captain Nigel Townson
from Huntingdon while reserve Russell Catley had a commanding debut
at centre-back.
Bustling with confidence after the break, Ely
soon got their reward. A short corner routine saw the ball played
wide and A.J. Morris equalised.
Newmarket hit back to enjoy territorial advantage
but Ely snatched the winning goal in the last 10 minutes. Speed was
the main factor and when the winger beat Ian Devlin he crossed the
ball for Iain Evans to score.
Newmarket made one last bid to equalise but were
denied a penalty flick when Robinson and an Ely defender both dived
to make contact with the ball, the latter clearing with the reverse
side of his stick.
Ely skipper Mark Gilbert said they were hoping to
build on that performance for the rest of the season while his
Newmarket counterpart, Bob Townson, said they had nobody to blame
for losing except themselves. Ely had the stronger will to win
although Newmarket had far more of the ball and pressure, he added.
County game called off
Two Newmarket players, Adrian Gurnell and Lee
Blades were called up to play for Suffolk Under-21s against
Hertfordshire on Sunday, but it was called off.
