Hitchin away, Prem - 29 Jan 2011

On a freezing cold, blustery afternoon, not unusual for Hitchin, the team arrived for a crucial game, with Hitchin standing just one point behind us in the league table.

With an hour to face off it transpired that we had lost our goal keeper. Up stepped Dave Slaughter, and fortunately our LDO Ryan was carrying a full keeper's outfit in his car. "Be prepared" - our boy scout of the day. However that still left the team starting with only 9 players, with hopefully a 10th man en route. With Dave Slaughter in goal, Dave Hudson rallied the defence with Long Sticks Dave Copple and Andy Fernando, all working tirelessly in both defence and attack. In fact there were times when these hard working long sticks were so far forward we had to check they had not got lost.

The team worked hard to keep possession when they had the ball, and even harder when defending while Hitchin were in possession. Hitchin grabbed a brace of goals early on before Purley got on the score sheet through Dave Cluney, the hard work continued but Hitchin continued to apply pressure against our 9 men, going 4-1 up before Ryan McDonald opened his account for the day to make it 4-2 just before the end of the first quarter.

Quarter 2 became a close run affair ending all square at 2-2, with Jamie Tasko and Wes Wilkinson scoring, finishing with a 6-4 half time score. However towards the end of the first half our tenth man arrived so we would start the second half with 10 men apiece.

For Purley the game really started and more possession, and used well this began to have the desired effect, with Rob Clark getting his first and Wes grabbing his second. The team were on a roll and goals quickly followed again, from Ryan, and a brace from Mike Barrett, then Ryan and Jamie finishing off the quarter with a goal apiece. A 7-0 quarter for the team, and possibly one of their best fight backs of the season to date.

The team continued to work hard throughout the final quarter in both attack and defence to hold on to the lead and despite conceding the fourth quarter 3-2 they finished up as 13-9 victors. A victory that was hard won on a cold windy day and the team deserve the greatest credit for their performance.

Team: Goal: Dave Slaughter; Defence: Dave Hudson, Dave Copple, Andy Fernando; Midfield: Mike Barrett (2), Dave Cluney(1), Rob Clark(2); Attack: Jamie Tasko (2), Ryan McDonald (4), Wes Wilkinson (2)
Ref: Hazel