2nd Team Vs Shrewsbury

Top of the table (ish) clash this week as we played a second placed Shrewbury. We arrived at a very cold Meole Brace and saw we were lining up against a very young athletic looking side, compared to half our team that were eligible for the masters game the following day.

We started well and took the lead within the first 5 minutes when the ball found it's way to Matt in the D with his back to keeper and he beat him with a cheeky little reverse sweep that went through the keepers legs into the goal.

The game was pretty frenetic end to end stuff but with neither side really settling and constructing any good hockey.

Old Wulfs then went into a period of madness, firstly with Chris N uncharacteristically producing a poor pass that went to the opposition and left our defense overloaded and Craig beaten to make it one all. Then, for some unknown reason the whole of the Old Wulfs team apart from Craig decide it was a good idea to press high into the Shrews half while leaving a man completely unmarked on our 25. To be fair Craig did his best screaming banshee impression to try and get someone back but the whole team appeared to " throw a deaf un".

2-1 down at half time.

The team talk was very positive by all and there was even a mention of "we can do this". This PMA had an immediate effect when a Shrews defender deliberately tackled with the back of stick and the Umpire gave a short corner. Up stepped Ricky to dispatch the ball like a rocket into the bottom left corner, receiving lots of praise from the Captain for not trying to go all glory into the top corner. It also didn't take long for Wulfs to take the lead when Tibble was found in the D, he was unable to capitalise (through no fault of his own) but was able to look up and find Adam on top of the D who swept the ball gracefully and with such power the backboard was almost split in 2 or he topped it and it bobbled it over the keepers foot, I can't remember which.

Both teams continued to press and more goals looked likely. Fortunately the 4th goal came Old Wulfs way from another short corner dispatched by Ricky, this time turning his wrist to drag flick the ball to the keepers right (despite everyone thinking this was done deliberatley with great skill, Ricky confirmed " i just drag it I don't know where it's going")

This brought us a little respite and breathing space until the madeness returned. DC, thinking we were looking too comfortable, decided to make a game of it by sending a supposed clearance to the opposition on top of the D, 4-3. 

Some comfort returned when Roberts robbed the ball from a Shrews defender and passed the ball to Tibble inside the D who dispatched the ball beyond the onrushing keeper into the bottom corner (there was some element of suprise at this mentioned in the changing room afterwards, how rude).

Final action was some nippy little Shrews player getting into the d and reversing the ball past Craig into the top of the goal, suppose it was an alright shot but it made no difference, we won.

MOTM - Close affair again but it went to Rich Roberts with Ricky, for the second week running coming a close second.