25th Jan 2020 Mens 3rd v Leeds�6(Home) 1 - 3 loss
�Nothing is Easy In this League�
The BRHC 3rd XI 2020 philosophy of taking it one game at a time was put to the test as they hosted a well drilled Leeds HC team this weekend in a competitive but tricky game of two halves. After a slightly delayed push back Leeds HC came out of the traps quickly and caught the BHRC defence napping with a slick passing move resulting in a tap in at the far post after 5 minutes. The BRHC ship was listing as they struggled to contain Leeds who repeatedly attacked through the middle of the park en masse with smart 1 and 2 touch passing requiring Sam B and Andy L to make decisive interventions at the back in support of Pratty in goal who made several good saves. BRHC regrouped and steadied the vessel with 10 mins to go in the first half only for a frustrating goal to bounce through sticks bodies and sticks into the net. With it 2-0 at half time BRHC decided to rejig the formation moving K Rayner into the middle in support of J Hudson. The second half got underway with BRHC linking up and challenging the Leeds D eventually winning a series of short corners. B Wilcox sent the ball home with a strike into the bottom corner from the top if the D to make it 2-1. BRHC went all guns blazing into the next 10 mins pressuring Leeds into mistakes at the back but came away fruitless. With A Sutherland about to come back on after 2 mins sat on the sideline following a foul, Leeds won a short and found the net making it 3-1 with 10 mins to go. BRHC continued to work well between the back and midfield linking up playing around Leeds but were unable to capitalise. The match came to a close 3-1 to Leeds with BRHC taking the positives of a good second half performance against a strong Leeds team with just 11 men in what was an all hands of deck performance.
I adopted a bit of a nautical theme.