Result: Drew 3-3
Scorers: V Veerapalan, T Fanger, R Plummer
Chelmsford started the game in sluggish fashion with wayward passing and poor decision making. With the Cambridge forwards running hard it wasn’t long before Cambridge took an early lead to break the deadlock.
As the game progressed and with Adam Hunter often drawing two Cambridge players, gaps opened within the Cambridge midfield and Chelmsford started to play flowing hockey and create opportunities for themselves. Against the run of play, Cambridge scored a second with the Chelmsford defence slow to react from a free hit.
Shortly before half time Chelmsford won a short corner which was expertly converted by Vas Veerapalan into the bottom left corner. With Chelmsford now one goal behind at half time and starting to play flowing hockey, the team knew three points are within reach after an indifferent start.
After half time Chelmsford survived a flurry of Cambridge attacks, one such being an an impressive goal line save by Josh Chan.
Midway through the second half Tom Woollatt won a short corner after clever skills within the D. Tom Fanger rifled the resulting corner into the Cambridge net to bring the scores level for the first time. With the score now 2-2 Chelmsford were looking to keep momentum and close the game out.
Throughout the second half Chelmsford looked the more dangerous team with one such attack culminating with a hard cross from Olympian Glenn Kirkham finding a diving Rob Plummer on the back post for a superb 3rd goal and taking Chelmsford into the lead for the first time.
Against the run of play and in the last seconds of the match, Cambridge won a short corner which was converted much to the frustration of the Chelmsford team, bringing the final score to 3-3.
Next week Chelmsford have a double header weekend with bottom placed Spalding on Saturday and 3rd placed St Albans on Sunday.