4th Team Vs Cannock 5

The heavens opened as Old Wulfs 4ths welcomed Cannock 5ths for the opening fixture of the season.

Wulfs had in their line-up a league debutant in Sahib Duhra (playing along side his dad) and a club debutant in Paul Fisher coming back to Hockey after some years off.

Cannock brought an experienced line-up and bossed the early possession. However it was Wulfs who broke the deadlock with Lally running through to nick the ball past the oncoming keeper (unfortunately the skipper can't remember who put through the ball to him, he suspects it was Lait or Hosking who both put in a great shift today).

Cannock responded and created a series of chances one of which the eventually converted. Before the break Wulfs had their best spell of the game a created a couple of short corner opportunities. The first brought a drag shot from Mann, the keeper palmed away to Lait who put the chance just wide. The next short brought better fortune with Mann's shot deflecting off the defender onto the keeper and inside the post.

A lead at halftime but the team were prepared for a second half response from the opposition and boy did it arrive. An onslaught manfully repelled by the backline with Duhra Sr having a particularly effective game. Eventually though the equaliser arrived leading to a tense finale to the game. Cannock laid siege to the goal and earned a penalty stroke when a goalbound shot was stopped by the body of Duhra Sr on the line.

The intimidating presence of Chairman Rowlands in goal obviously took hold as the Cannock player found the post. Wulfs hoped that this would spur them on to hold on, however with minutes left on the clock the Cannock centre forward took a shot on the reverse at the the edge of the D that just eluded Rowlands in goal.

So a defeat for the first game of the season but an encouraging hardworking performance on a thoroughly miserable day against a side that started last season two divisions above the Wulfs.

Onwards and Upwards.