Hockey: Dragons bounce back to crush Rotherham

Nov 17 2010 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

HUDDERSFIELD Dragons’ crazy season continued with a crushing 11-1 victory over Rotherham.

Disrupted by injuries, Huddersfield’s performances have been unpredictable – having been beaten last week 5-1 by LA Carnegie – but with key players back they showed what they really can do.

Striker Martin Hirst started the rout with two quick goals.

Rotherham tried to stop Huddersfield’s flow with some physical tackling, but a storming run from Si Courtney resulted in a cross into the D which was finished by Steve Durrans.

There was no let up, as captain Rob Kelly saw his shot take a deflection off a defender on the way through the keeper’s legs, and it was followed by a sixth goal from a penalty stroke from Courtney.

Rotherham pulled one back before half time, but in the second half the Dragons produced another show of attacking hockey.

Hirst scored from a penalty corner for his first hat trick of the season, before Kelly nipped in to slot home his second, and after Mark Swinden and Pemberton worked a corner well to find Hirst free in the D he scored an excellent flick across goal over the keeper.

Courtney still did not slow the pace and, as a Rotherham player returned from his sin-binning following a foul on the Dragons player, he immediately found himself up against Courtney again and the outcome was almost exactly the same – but this time he was given a red card.

Huddersfield took advantage and Courtney broke free down the right to find Kelly, who tapped in for his second hat trick of the season, while Pemberton cut inside to rifle a shot in at the near post to round off a convincing display.

Team: McCallum, Peachey, Hannam, Gregory, Buckley, Kelly, Courtney, Swinden, Pemberton, Hirst, Durrans, Connell, Kaye.

Huddersfield II 2 Harrogate 1

IN THE first of a league double-header Dragons travelled to Harrogate to take on a side third in the table, who were fortunate to take the lead.

Huddersfield dominated possession through Richard Sugden and Pete Lee and they equalised through Sugden.

Harrogate tried to apply pressure in the second half but the defence looked solid with skipper Clark at the back, and when Huddersfield broke free Lee calmly lifted the ball over the keeper for the winner.

Huddersfield II 4Leeds University 3

DRAGONS hosted Leeds University knowing a win would catapult them to third in Yorkshire League Division II but got a wake-up call when Leeds went a goal up.

Huddersfield reacted with Foster going close, but it was from a set play that Dragons equalised with a short corner converted by Clark.

Leeds then regained the lead, but this simply forced Huddersfield to step up their game a gear and Clark equalised with a great reverse stick shot.

Leeds hit the front again from a deflection, but Oli levelled the scores and it was Richard Sugden who went on to score Dragons’ winner.

City of York VIII 2 Dragons V 4

THE fifth team opened the scoring when Foo stepped up to score with a powerful flick, high into the net, only for York to equalise just before the break.

York started the second half the same way, their short corner specialist netting with an even better strike.

At the other end the Dragons captain Conrad Dales made a break and crossed with pinpoint accuracy to a committed run by Mike Greenberry, who duly tweaked a muscle but made sure the ball crossed the line.

Mike Pogson put Dragons ahead as he converted a short corner and Gary Clarke then scored his customary goal, this time with a reverse stick push.

Team: Bebb, Ridings, Reed, Wood, Donovan, Laithwaite, Bland, Pogson, Foo, Dales, Clarke, Greenberry

LADIES

Huddersfield I 0 Chapeltown 1

HUDDERSFIELD dominated throughout, putting an immense amount of pressure on the Chapeltown defence.

The second half looked like it would produce goals but again league leaders Huddersfield couldn’t seem to get the ball into the back of the net.

A short corner goal by the opposition only spurred Huddersfield on more, as they continued to pester the Chapeltown defence, but luck was not on their side as the final whistle blew.

Team: Creedon, Benson, Thomas, Higginbottom, Dobson, Crowther, Middleton, Maddaford, Fillingham, Durrans, Hough, Longstaff, Bagshaw.

Dragons II 3 Ben Rhydding 6

EVEN the return of prolific goalscorer Liz Green couldn’t see the Seconds claim their first victory.

Ben Rhydding scored two early goals before quick forward passing saw Green put away her first goal, and after Rhydding replied with another, Green bagged her second to leave Dragons trailing 3-2 at the break.

Another two goals from Rhydding at the start of the second half sewed up the game, but Dragons fought hard and Green completed her hat trick.

Team: Martin, Wells, di Napoli, Dunne, Walters, Monchuk, Fielding, Higginson, Hargreeves-Brown, Green, Stacey, McEwen.

City of York IV 1 Dragons III 1

YORK took the lead in the first half despite Dragons having the majority of the possession, but the second half saw chances for both sides.

Lawton hit the post for Dragons with a great strike. York also came close, but they were stopped by great defending from Hamer and a couple of super saves by Tod in goal.

Dragons’ equaliser was deserved and Thomas must take the credit for not only a fantastic strike but also playing to the whistle.