9th Feb 2019 Mens 3rd v Leeds Adel 4(Home) 0 - 4 loss
Any lingering hopes of promotion were stamped on by a well organised and clinical Adel team against a makeshift 3rd team. With injuries and lack of availability, the 3rds had a surplus of forwards and lack of defenders meaning that many players were out of position.
Adel started more strongly and the goal they had been threatening came about 10 minutes it. However, that sparked Ben Rhydding to play their best hockey of the match, dominating the rest of the first half. Cussons and Hatton came agonisingly close to scoring and we really should have gone in half time at least level if not up.
The defining moment came 10 minutes into the second half. As Ben Rhydding threw men forward in search of the equaliser, Adel broke quickly and their centre forward finished clinically one on one versus Pratt. Things went from bad to worse. First Snook injured his hamstring and then Young damaged his hand. To their credit, both stayed on the pitch, but we were effectively playing with 9 by this point. As we continued to push to try to get back into the match, Adel picked us off a couple more times. It could have been more without some heroic last ditch defending from man of the match Rayner.