Streetly 2nd XI 4 – 1 Berkswell & Balsall Common

An almost back to full strength 2nd XI saw them host fellow West Midlands Division 1 side Berkswell. From the off it was Streetly with the initiative and caused a couple of openings in the early exchanges, only to not prevail on either occasion. Berkswell found it difficult to break out of the own half during the first period and from the constant pressure Streetly forced a couple of penalty corners.

With Richard Thursfield on injection, Streetly setup for the set play only for stopper, captain Dave Hopkins to miss the stop but once Ben Venables picked it up just outside the circle, brought the ball inside and won a second penalty corner. This time Streetly opted for the speciality of the drag flick which James Waters duly obliged. After his first attempt went wide, this one was dispatched with great pace straight down the keepers throat, it struck the keeper in the grid and from the resulting rebound Jack Kelly cushioned it down into the path of Mike George who swept home from 3 yards to make it 1-0. It soon became 2-0 when finally Streetly strung a few passes together, which allowed James Waters to power through the defence and slot a reverse stick shot into the bottom corner. Half time 2-0 to Streetly. After a re-shuffle at half time Streetly looked slightly brighter going forward.

A mazy run from the back by Richard ‘Uggsta’ Thomas saw him beat 3 or 4 players before crisply firing a ball into the circle which was missed by everyone and ended a promising attack. Streetly continued to attack quite freely throughout but lacked the quality of deliver in the final third. However, after some clever play between Mike George and Dave Hopkins, found Will Murray charging down the right flank. His pulled back pass was then ushered on again in the circle by the Jack Kelly and on hand waiting to finish the chance was Bryce Strathdee to score and put Streetly 3-0 in front. Berkswell did offer a little shortly after and got a consolation goal for their troubles. Streetly, who had not been tested all afternoon, got caught napping and some poor possession lead to the Berkswell forward netting to make it 3-1. The Final goal of the game came from Streetly’s best move. Ben Venables and Bryce Strathdee cleverly worked the ball through the middle of the park and released captain Dave Hopkins clear, and 1-on-1 with the keeper. After faking the pass to Mike George, rolled it coolly past the keeper for 4-1. The game ended shortly after and after not playing any particularly great hockey Streetly ran out 4-1 winners.

Harveys Man of The Match:- Will Murray.


BodyKraft West Midlands Division 1 (2nd XI League)
Streetly 2nd XI 4 - 3 Droitwich 2nd XI


After winning their opening game of the season Streetly hosted a strong Droitwich side who finished 3rd Last Year. The Opening exchanges though belonged to Streetly. With fast paced passing and good passing hockey between veteran Richard Thursfield, James Waters and skipper Dave Hopkins, Streetly forced their first chance through a penalty corner. The penalty corner was injected by the returning Andy Brettell and nearly found the net as Hopkins cleverly slipped the ball back to him deceiving the Droitwich defence, only for the ball to strike a foot. From the resulting short corner Streetly brought on James ‘the goal machine’ Waters who expertly dispatched the low drag flick into the bottom corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead to Streetly. The onslaught never got any easier for the visitors.

Again Streetly found they had the ascendancy and forced yet another two penalty corners. And just like the second one, Waters proved he was in deadly form by converting both of them for an opening 10 minute hat-trick and Streetly were 3-0 in front. However, Droitwich despite now being down to 10 men, found themselves an opening when some poor communication between Murray and J. Kelly left a huge opening in the Streetly defence. The visitors worked themselves a penalty corner which the captain converted with ease to give Droitwich a glimmering hope with the score now 3-1. Streetly’s restart however dashed some hopes that may have been going through the visitors heads. Thursfield took the centre, and slipped back to Waters, who launched a huge ‘aerial pass’ towards J.Kelly and Hopkins who had advanced into the oppositions half. Upon being fouled from collecting the pass, J.Kelly had a simple task of driving the self passed freehit into the circle after good dummy runs by Murray and Hopkins had left a huge opening at the top and Kelly drove in and smashed in Streetly’s 4th goal and give the hosts a commanding 4-1 lead.

Droitwich did have the last say of the 1st half when they again forced themselves into the Streetly circle and after poorly defending a penalty corner the striker fired passed a helpless Shaw in goal. Half – Time 4-2 to Streetly. The second half was a complete contrast to the first. Streetly unable to play the silky hockey they had displayed in the first half, found it hard going throughout the second period and it was Droitwich who scored the only goal of the 2nd half and setup a nail biting finish. Right at the death with score locked at 4-3 Droitwich got themselves a penalty corner.

Harveys Man of the Match ALEX SHAW, was the rock that Streetly required as he made not 1 save but 5 consecutive saves from the scramble that ensued in the circle and the final whistle came as a relief although 3 points well earned from the new boys in Division 1.