Season's best display - but they lose at home
The hockey derby between Newmarket and Cambridge
Nomads took place on Saturday, a win for Newmarket would keep alive
hopes of promotion to Division Five, a Nomads win would give them a
good chance of taking the championship.
Newmarket, back to full strength, needed to rise
to the occasion of taking on the league leaders. However, a quick
attack in the first few minutes let in the visitors for the first
goal; the attacker slid the ball underneath Jon Hall's outstretched
right arm.
After this early setback Newmarket got down to
business, the five-man midfield of Jimmy Robinson, Greg Cummins,
Roger Wise, Bob Townson and Harry Mangell were outstanding.
The side worked for each other resulting in a few
well earned short corners. Usual striker Lee Blades watched from the
subs bench as Ian Devlin stepped up to strike. After an initial shot
from Devlin the ball rebounded from the 'keeper to Bennett, he had
to step back but was then able to unleash a powerful flick. The shot
beat the 'keeper but was stopped on the line by a defender, though
he stopped it with his shoulder. From the resulting penalty flick,
Bennett sent his powerful shot towards the top corner only to see
his shot brilliantly deflected past the post by the Nomads 'keeper.
Newmarket, gutted at missing the flick, battled
on with determination. Deservedly, they got their just rewards from
another short corner. Again Devlin struck, this time the ball was
deflected from a defender's stick and rose into the roof of the goal
to equalise.
At half-time Newmarket lost Neil Badcock with a
groin strain. Cummins dropped back to fill in the gap and Lee Blades
came on in midfield. After this reorganisation, then Robinson also
ruptured an old groin strain though was forced to continue due to
the lack of remaining subs. It was midway through the half when
Nomads found the winner, scoring from a short corner and snatching
all 3 points in this hard fought encounter.
The overall performance was outstanding, the best
this season so far. If only they played with this amount of
determination and commitment every week. Newmarket travel to
Letchworth this weekend with Badcock and possibly Robinson out
injured. Paul Youngs and Dave Badcock should be available for
selection and captain Bob Townson has also had his eye on impressive
second team players, who may be called up.
