Result: Loss 5-0

MOM: A Hunter

The trip to “Weybread” has not been a fruitful trip for many teams in recent years and having pinched a hard earned point at Fortress Chelmer Park earlier in the season the Men’s 1s made the cross country trip hoping for another watershed moment. Plenty of water welcomed the teams to the pitch, providing a slow surface and bitter conditions to contend with.

Both teams set out with similar game plans; a compact defence in their own half, looking to break quickly making short passes across the pitch. Hence this game can be summed up fairly concisely as one team teaching the other how to execute the plan.

Chelmsford built their play steadily across the pitch but all too often the attack would break down before reaching the Harleston circle, not even the speeding Bird could cut his way through. This contrasted to the home team who were hungry in midfield swarming with shave tackles, breaking at pace with numbers and making snappy passing to create overloads on the green defence. The visitors held on for some time before eventually conceding a couple of scrappy goals in the circle to be 2-0 down at the change of ends.

The second half pattern followed the first and with the teams tiring in the conditions the game stretched. Guided by the returning Hunter who turned out a typically tireless MOM performance from Centre back Chelmsford stuck to the plan. Forays into the final third were eventually born out only to lack the finishing touch to truly trouble the home keeper other than a rasping PC from Captain Fanger. Though, with the ever advancing Green army platform the Magpie flights forward had more opportunities and another 3 goals were eventually scavenged from the stubborn Stock in the away goal.

Final score 5-0, plenty to improve on though clearly achievable owing to that 2-2 from earlier in the season. Back to the training pitch to take on Letchworth at home 2:30 next week.