GWHC2s 5 - 0 Canterbury

Gravesham & Wellcome 2s kicked off the second half of the season against a Canterbury side known to have plenty of experience but expecting they might not cause too much of a problem – so long as the team could learn lessons from their previous game and play to their potential.
Key points taken into the game were around better communication and better game management.

From the off that communication was supercharged as Jordan Jenkins led the calls from the front – helping the forwards to pin Canterbury in their own half for large periods. Constant pressure would see a short corner awarded and seeing it open after a first attempt Jenkins found Captain Aaron Elliott at the second go for a far post deflection to send the team on their way.

Pressure continued until Jenkins found the goal with a cracking effort – and immediately from the subs bench the Captain called for a half court press so the team could consolidate their lead. Despite this, pressure would continue but in a much more controlled way as the team started to really dominate and control the game in a very mature way.

That pressure would lead to yet another goal but only after a quick tweak to the team – sadly Richard Atwood recently returned from a hamstring injury would suffer a recurrence meaning a simple reshuffle as Si Bradley went to centre back and Jon Booth and Reuben Morphew took control of the middle.
That next goal would come from Brayden Warner captalising on a saved effort from Oli Atkinson.

Minutes later, a run from Amit Ubhi would find Jenkins for an effort but unable to find the goal Elliott managed to get a stick to it to steer it into the corner. Half-time and 4-0.

Half time team talk was straight forward; keep doing the same, careful of the gaps between the lines, keep controlling things and try to secure the clean sheet.

The second half played out much like the first but without too many chances coming. Canterbury seemed to be trying to see the game out except for a funny 5 minutes when they did manage to get a breakaway and secured a short corner – only for that short corner to immediately break down without a shot.

A couple of chances from short corners were unable to find the goal but a breakaway with Warner and Elliott eventually found it as Warner pounced on a saved effort from Elliott to send it over the line. Further into the second half the Gravesham side would try to repeat the first goal of the game but with Elliott this time hitting the upright.

The game would end with goalkeeper Jack McManus possibly only having had a single touch, kicking the ball out wide – a nice debut league game at this level for the young keeper. It was a very impressive display of hockey and sets them up well for a tough game away to Sevenoaks next week.

Man of the match could have gone to any number of players with Oli Atkinson getting a good few votes but finishing a close second.
Man of the match: Reuben Morphew.