United Services 0

Tavistock 2

A TAVISTOCK mixed team of first and second XI players took on United Services at Bull Point. 

USHC will be opponents of Tavistock 1st XI in the coming season so this was a chance to test this scratch squad against an established team.

The game started at a slow pace but quickened as players began to find their touch; it was USHC who started to dominate the early possession while the mix of youth and experience in the Tavistock side began to gel.

Services put some nice moves together but never really threatened Tavistock keeper Matt Graham who was more than equal to some tame efforts on goal. Tavistock defended well through Wood, Glanville Venton and Passmore and it was from this solid defence that the team's confidence started to build. The youthful midfield of Chamberlin, Dubey Stanbury and Hutchins started to interchange passes and working as a team began to feed Andrew's and Curno upfront.

Both team's defences were cancelling each other out and chances on target were few and far between.

It was on one of Tavistock's quick counter attacks that Hutchins and Stanbury now began to boss the middle setup. Chamberlain slipped in the ever reliable Andrews who poked the ball past the oncoming keeper and gave the away side the lead. Tavistock where on top, but the whistle came to USHC rescue.

The second half restarted and a resurgent USHC piled on the pressure but Tavistock stood firm with a double banked defence keeping the home team out. On the counter was when Tavistock looked most dangerous, with linking up of the midfield and wide man Honey on the overlap opening up the Services defence. It was from one such counter that again Chamberlain slipped a pass to Andrews who again with an oncoming keeper deftly pushed the ball through into the empty net. Tavistock saw the game out without a further chance being gifted and came off the pitch in high spirits. Good individual performances, with teamwork in mind throughout, meant Tavistock have won both opening friendly matches - they will need to build on match fitness to be competitive once the league matches start at the end of September.

Anyone interested in giving hockey a go — see http://www.tavistockhockeyclub.co.uk">www.tavistockhockeyclub.co.uk for further information.