16th Mar 2019 Mens 3rd v Mirfield 1(Away) 5 - 3 win
The 3rd team followed up victories against the top two teams in the table with another win in a potential banana skin fixture away to Mirfield.
The match followed the pattern of the previous week against Tadcaster, with the 3rds cruising to a 3-0 lead at half time before opening the door for a Mirfield come back with some sloppy defending before finally seeing the game out.
The 3rds dominated the opening exchanges but the final ball was lacking. The deadlock was broken when Roberts, in right midfield, beat his marker for speed and then hit a firm shot from the edge of the D that beat the keeper at the near post.
Roberts who was causing no end of problems down the Mirfield left then played a beautiful ball into the channel for Higgitt to latch onto who�s run into the D was stopped by a defender�s foot. From the resulting short corner, Hudson switched the ball to Hatton who unusually decided to go with a forehand shot and powerfully drove the ball home. Then on the verge of half time a beautiful flowing move started on the left unlocked the Mirfield defence and gave us 2 on 1 on the keeper. Hatton calmly drew the keeper before sliding the ball to Cussons to slot in.
As with Tadcaster the week before, we then decided to take our foot off the gas and couldn�t string two passes together. We showed naivety as we pressed forward and a loose ball at the back suddenly resulted on a Mirfield overload to let them back in the game. Mirfield sensed a turn around and continued to press forward. A seemingly innocuous aerial over the defence suddenly exposed us again and it was 3-2.
We then composed ourselves and started playing again. A fierce shot hit a defender�s foot on the line and before the umpire had time to blow for the flick, Cussons forced the loose ball home. And then Hatton pickpocketed a defender dawdling on the ball and ran into the D before hammering home his second of the day.
In the dying moments Mirfield were awarded a dubious short corner which was accurately dragged into the bottom corner, but fortunately the umpires blew for time before they could stage another come back.
The win takes Ben Rhydding 2nd, though promotion fate is still out of our hands as Tadcaster have a game in hand.
Roberts put himself into contention for man of the match with his opening goal and the great build up play down our right, but this week�s goes to Will Hatton for his goals and assists.