Davis Wood Hockey League

De Cymru & The Marches One

Wotton-under-Edge 7 Cheltenham 3rds 0

RYAN Howarth scored four goals as Wotton started the season with a bang.

There has been a growing sense of anticipation around the squad and everyone at the club was excited to get the league season underway.

The men in blue started very well and found themselves playing fantastic high intensity hockey.

Wotton were comfortable on the ball and were keeping possession in high areas of the pitch.

Wide players Andy Edwards and Neil Curtis provided plenty of threat and were probing the Cheltenham D.

This pressure finally told and Howarth finished neatly, putting the Blues in the lead.

Wotton did not retreat however and strong defensive work from George Eskins, Alistir Hammond and James Cruikshank provided a solid platform for the team to build on.

A goal from Howarth and Dave Newns apiece meant the score at half-time was 3-0.

Cheltenham came out strongly in the second half but Wotton responded by winning two short corners which were slotted away by Howarth, completing his hat-trick.

Still Wotton pushed forward and young star Ashley Lingham, who has improved in the pre-season games, scored his first goal with a beautiful reverse stick strike.

Not to be outdone, Henry Patterson fired home his own reverse strike to round off a fantastic display.

Star man: Darren Pearce.

Hereford & Glos Division One

Gloucester City 3rds 4 Wotton-under-Edge 5

WOTTON deservedly picked up three points in a gripping game.

The visitors went 1-0 up ten minutes into the game after a deflection from Dan Jones and a brilliant assist from Steven Dexter.

Wotton were quickly placed on the back foot after conceding three goals in the space of 10 minutes due to the ruthless finishing by Gloucester.

With Wotton pushing to get back into the game, the ball came into Gloucester’s D where Andy Stockley coolly finished under the on-rushing keeper to make it 3-2.

Seconds before half-time, another beautifully weighted pass from Dexter to the back post saw Jago Cropper finish with finesse into the goal.

Early on in the second half, Gloucester managed to put one past Wotton again.

This rallied the visitors and, with 15 minutes left, Gloucester conceded a short corner. The ball was slipped to James Bull and a beautiful finish rounded off the move to make it 4-4.

With morale high and five minutes remaining, Wotton gained a late penalty corner, the call of which routine rested on the captain, Matt Tait’s, shoulders.

As the ball was slotted in to the corner of the net by Bull, he realised it was the right one.

Wotton thirds completed a clean sweep for the club with a 2-0 win at Lansdown fourths in The Marches Division Two.