Indiscipline puts paid
to record
Going for an
unprecedented 11th straight win, Newmarket brought about their own
downfall on Saturday at a very wet Perse School.
Not impressed by the
total lack of changing facilities (the team prepared in a garage),
Newmarket took to the pitch without injured Captain Greg Cummins,
but otherwise with a strong looking team.
However, the antics of
goal-keeper Steve Freed were to ensure that the perfect season would
elude them.
Newmarket went one down
to the sort of goal they have been scoring all year, After one
minute they conceded a penalty corner and were punished with a crisp
shot into the corner. Then the wheels came off. After only five
minutes, Freed had been shown a yellow card for persistent
complaints to the umpire, and Newmarket were down to 10. Incredibly,
they fought well and even came close to scoring via Ian Starling.
Freed returned, and Newmarket were back to 11, but it didn't last
long.
The 'red mist' came
down again for freed, and he received his final marching orders for
more unacceptable behaviour with only 25 minutes on the clock.
Stand-in captain Al Heath took the goal, leaving Newmarket with nine
outfield players and seriously depleted and deflated generally.
They hung on until
half-time and might have scored after good movement down the right
saw Wilson junior go close. At the break, Newmarket knew they were
still just the goal adrift and set out to make things even at worst.
Playing in driving
rain, they went close on a number of occasions but Cambridge
defended well. Then the discipline which has been a problem was
again to the fore. First Dave Badcock and then Matt Holden received
yellow cards, and playing with only nine, and no recognised
goalkeeper, Newmarket conceded a second.
They kept attacking
whenever possible but the normal support from the back was
unavailable despite the valiant efforts of Duncan Freed and Simon
Greenwood. A goal finally came at the end of the game with an
excellent short corner put away by Wilson junior.
The irony is that the
subject of discipline had been raised and dismissed at a recent
committee meeting of the club (only the previous Monday) and will
now need to be seriously considered. Newmarket are likely to be
without Freed for at least six weeks and perhaps longer, so the
search for a recognised goalkeeper begins in earnest.
Nevertheless, at the
Christmas break, Newmarket top the league and look forward to the
second half of the season beginning on 8th January.
EHA Timpson Trophy
The 'national' nature
of the EHA Timpson Trophy competition has been brought home to
Newmarket, surely the smallest club left in the competition with an
away draw at Shrewsbury, who beat Bromsgrove to take their place in
the last 32.
Being a club of limited
means, Newmarket are now in search of some assistance in their quest
for further success. Captain of the cup team Simon Gibson said:
"With a squad of 16 it is impractical to expect four people to drive
all the way, especially when costs are taken into account, and it
would help our chances no end, and bolster the excellent team spirit
shown within the mixed team if we could travel together.
"We are on the look out
for a sponsor who might be prepared to support us for this game, and
further games should we succeed at this stage, either financially, or
perhaps with the provision of transport." The game is on Sunday, 9th
January.
