Gravesham & Wellcome Hockey Club secured a 4-0 away win against Sittingbourne this weekend, cementing their strong league position. Despite the challenges of playing under floodlights from the start and with fog descending throughout the match, GW put on a vaunted display.

The first half was a tighter affair than the scoreline suggests. Sittingbourne looked dangerous, utilizing powerful big hits into the D. The pressure led to several close calls which were expertly denied by a sharp Keaton in goal, whose good saves proved vital in keeping the sheet clean early on and settling the team's nerves.

The breakthrough finally came in the 25th minute when Tommo managed to find the back of the net, assisted by Kyran. While a little scrappy, this goal sparked a frenetic phase of attacking hockey from GW. The goals quickly followed: Olly scored a sensational second at the 32-minute mark, and Kyran added a third just two minutes later (34 mins), sending GW into the half-time break with a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Skipper Jordan Laws used the break to clarify the midfield strategy, stressing that the team needed to hold the middle, preventing the opposition from hitting the ball straight through and create danger.
The second half was commanded by GW. Any time Sittingbourne looked to build pressure, Chip 'Safety' Bradley was there with one of his trademark worldy runs, relieving the defense and highlighting the home team’s limits. Honestly, his efforts made Sittingbourne look like a talentless dump at times!

Epic footwork on the right from Eren, opportunities for reverse passing from Chip, coachable one on one moments from Tommo and Kyran and balls off the ground from Ryan and Danny were much talked about higlights proving that entertainment was certainly not amiss in this preamble to the 12 pubs of christmas night out being planned.

Anyway. Tommo rounded off the scoring 14 minutes into the second half, securing the 4-0 victory.

Standout mentions go to both Zak and Olly, who were exceptional. Their combination of individual skill, direct play, and a dogged unwillingness to give in made them unplayable at times, leaving the Sittingbourne defense flailing.

It was a great team effort to ensure Steve Lett returns to a winning side next week, though he was certainly missed. Finally, special praise goes to the cooks for preparing an epic gluten-free dinner for the team's favourite cameo player! The only downside? The atrocious traffic on the journey home couldn't dampen the celebratory mood after a superb performance.