Following last weeks last minute loss away at Old Williamsonians, the Unicorns faced a young Canterbury team. However with school fully back in swing, the home side welcomed back a number of boys who had been away for a few weeks. Canterbury are a big club, this development team their tenth men's side, and their development programme excellent. From the off, the visitors had much of the play. The early evening twighlight making it challenging to umpire, giving the home team some respite from penalites which may have been more clearly be seen earlier in the day, but soon enough Canterbury made chances to win some short corners. From one, a strike flew into the goal, but fortunately ruled out for being too high. From there, the Unicorns started to threaten more, but a disciplined and tactically aware Canterbury smothered the Unicorns, especially when the ball was in the home sides defensive third. The game went into half-time goalless.

Some positive talk, and some tactical support for the youngsters allowed the Unicorns to readjust, and they came out fighting. In the second half they created more opportunities, making the visiting keeper to have to work, and while Canterbury threatened, they were kept at bay by the Unicorns defence. As the game ticked on, and ten minutes left on the clock, the Unicorns turned and burned Canterbury, winning the ball at the other end of the pitch, before driving the ball towards the away sides D, before it fell to Oliver B who slotted the goal in. With under ten minutes remaining, the Unicorns led 1-0, and were made to work, defending hard against a wave of attacks. There were opportunities perhaps for the Unicorns to put the game to bed, but the final ball just not being right led to opportunities being spurned. Nonetheless, the final whistle was blown and the Unicorns won their third game of the season, another clean-sheet win, and stick stickers all round!

This was a really hard fought win for the Unicorns, a game that perhaps earlier in the season or last season they would not have come away victorious. The return game will be an excellent fixture, both teams will grow stronger, faster and technically better, and the hockey, and the lads will be the better for it. Oliver B was awarded attacker of the day, and Blackman jnr defender of the day, though there was a massive spread of nominations across the board in both categories. Blackman Snr, relieved at no longer being the only Unicorns keeper not to achieve a clean sheet to date, narrowly missing out for Defender of the Day to his son. A big thanks to James Bonner for supporting the Unicorns this week.

Next week, the Unicorns travel to Folkestone for a 3pm pushback.