Cannock M1s 2 - 1 Nottingham Trent University

   In the pouring rain and blustery wind, Cannock welcomed Notts Trent Uni to EDA for the first home game of the season. Cannock were still missing a couple of players but felt confident against the 16 students. 
   The game started at a frantic pace with many misplaced passes from the home side in particular from the captain Fleet, who had seemed to forget which colour he was playing in. Notts had plenty of possession in the Cannock half but the home sides defence was excellent and kept them at bay. Cannock grew into the first half and played some exciting counter attacking hockey. One of these counter attacks resulted in the first goal when all round nice guy Stuart Gooderham delivered a pin point pass to Dave “Goal” Harris, whose first touch flew into the corner.
   The game followed a similar flow with lots of Notts possession followed by Cannock counter attacks. Another quick attack and some lovely play again from the ever green Gooderham and Harris led to the simplest of tap ins for Dippa. It was 2-0 at half time.
   In a similar fashion to last season, Cannock’s team talk worked wonders as Notts came out flying and having most of the possession. Notts bombarded the Cannock goal with defenders Spencer, Hudson and Fleet backing up fantastic work from keeper Chewy. They did eventually score a goal from a short corner but Cannock continued to battle. Widdowson in particular fought to the last minute with a battling display John Fashanu would of been proud of.
   The game was on a knife edge with Notts now camped in the Cannock half. Cannock missed opportunity’s on the break where they could of killed the game. This looked like it would come back to haunt them in the final seconds as Notts won another corner. A slick move lead to the ball being fired passed the impressive Chewy. Luckily for Cannock the skipper decided to actually do something positive in the game and save it on the line.
   Cannock were 2-1 winners to get their first win of the season but will be looking to improve in coming weeks.

 

Old Wulfs 1 - 10 Cannock M2s

   Cannock arrived at Aldersley Leisure Village off the back of a sneaky late winner in week 1 looking to start their season with back to back victories. They would need to do so without their inspirational skipper Paul William Marin, who was away playing Romeo to his Juliet. Cannock’s French overseas player Jamie “JD” Daniels stepped into the Big PWM sized hole as captain.
   Cannock started with much more intent and purpose than in week one, but despite their best efforts the first 15 minutes were pretty even. Cannock missed a few opportunities despite good build up play, and Old Wulfs failed to capitalise on some sloppy marking from Cannock in direct counter attacks. Cannock’s GK Connor Lloyd Smith doing a good job to close down opportunities on a number of occasions.
   Cannock eventually went in front when Greg Bloomer, who had already fluffed a couple of opportunities, deflected a Sir David Wigg mishit (aka an assist) into the corner. Cannock continued in the same vein for a little while until 2019 loose cannon Evan Alcock had a fiery encounter with one of the Old Wulfs defenders and ended up sat whispering sweet nothings through the fence with his girlfriend(?) for ten minutes under a yellow card. The laddie doth protest too much, me thinks. It’s fair to say no social distancing was followed between these two; the Old Wulfs defender and Evan that is.
   It was at this point when down to ten men that Jake Griffiths popped his can of spinach and began to rip the ball from opposition players and influence the game in both directions; showing his team mates the level of desire needed if they’re to fulfil their hopes of pushing for promotion. Distribution from the back improved greatly too, with Micklewright and Daffern finding some good balls to break through the lines and put Cannock on the front foot.
   Cannock’s hard work and persistence paid off as they doubled their lead with the most unlikely of scorers. Cannock’s short corner routine slipped into first gear, and as the ball dribbled towards the top D, and it seemed the opposition were crawling towards it, 🏑 Dave ‘Joao Moutinho’ Bradbury strolled forward and short arm punted the ball into the backboard with serious aplomb. A dream itself is but a shadow.
   As the half wore on Cannock started to impose themselves; Nat Yerbury and Scott Olsson particularly effective in turning the ball over and moving Cannock forward at pace down the left hand side. Shortly before the break, 🏑 Cannock extended their lead to 3-0 as Bradda slipped the ball through to Bloomer who rounded the keeper and tapped in. Three up at HT, Cannock got together - socially distanced of course - and spoke about the improvement from last week and continuing in the same vein. As the second half began, Cannock really started to impose themselves on the game, with Fin McCall impressive in his first 2nd team game of the year.
   🏑 Cannock extended their lead to 4 when a Bloomer/Bradbury one two led to Bloomer completing his hat-trick early in the second half. The game was heating up, with Evan having to show a much improved ability to manage his white line fever as he focused his energy into his performance rather than fists! There’s beggary in love that can be reckoned. As the game opened up it created more space and Matt Wheldon became a real handy outlet at right half in what may be his last appearance before the newest arrival to Team Wheldon - good luck Matt!
   As the game heated up, but droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven came down, enter the coolest man around; Sir Dave Wigg. 🏑 Assisting Bloomers fourth and Cannock’s fifth with a clever pass, 🏑 he then scored the first of what would become a quick fire hat-trick with a magnificent reverse stick underarm ‘shovel’ that confused everyone on its way to (and into) the goal! 🏑 Wigg bagged his second very shortly after with a sweet short corner strike into the bottom corner, thankful Daffern was able push his injection further than a yard. 🏑 Wigg got his third and final shortly after with a more routine finish. He then turned his attention to assisting others. If assists be the food of love, play on.
   🏑 Evan got the goal his performance and temperament deserved through a tidy flicked finish in a short corner routine. Another Wigg assist; if only Fantasy Hockey was a thing this year! 🏑 Olsson got the tenth goal, via another Wigg assist, as he tapped home after a lovely Cannock move that he had been involved in. It was a shame that Yerbury and Matthews didn’t get the goal their respective performances deserved, but signs of what’s to come.
   Cannock’s performance suggests this could be a winter of anything other than hockey discontent. The best summary was given by stand in skipper JD; ‘O Romeo Romeo, where art thou Romeo Martin?’ With Leek the visitors to EDA next week, Cannock will need to ensure the same levels of intensity and passion to continue their perfect start. There are two immediate questions facing Cannock ahead of that. How does the skipper get back in? And, was that young lady Evan’s significant other?

MOM: Bradda

 

CANNOCK M3s  3 - 2 BRIDGNORTH 5s

   A Cannock team mixed with more youth than experience welcomed Bridgnorth 5ths to EDA on a showery afternoon. After a fairly even start to the game Bridgnorth went in front by way of a penalty stroke awarded after a foul by Marsh that many of the more experienced players of the side would’ve been proud of. The game continued to be even but Bridgnorth were creating the better chances with Cannock struggling to create clear cut opportunities. Cannock found themselves 2 down after a swift move by the opposition. The 3s continued to battle away but weren’t clicking as a unit. Then Callum McGarrie picked up the ball in his own half and decided to go and take on the whole of the opposition on his own before finding himself in the D and slotted home for a fine individual goal making it 1-2 at halftime.
   The message at halftime was for the team to move the ball quicker and earlier and to back each other up. Cannock came straight out of the blocks from the restart and scored after about 10 seconds with a great team goal scored by Matt Bhageerutty that was exactly what they talked about in the halftime team talk.
   The game then could’ve gone either way with both teams searching for a third goal. It was Cannock that made the breakthrough with 5 minutes to go in the game, with a well worked and well taken goal by Lewis Asling. Cannock were then concentrated and hard working in closing the game out winning 3-2.
   A much improved performance to get their season up and running after last weeks disappointment.

Goals

Callum McGarrie
Matt Bhageerutty
Lewis Asling

 

Cannock L1s 1 - 9 Timperley

   The ladies 1s travelled to Timperley wasn’t the best day at the office with a strong Timperley going 4-0 up at half time. Cannock tried to battle their way back into the game but Timperley’s style of play beat was tricky to master on an early Saturday evening. Thankful didn’t get to double figures and Cannock got a consolation goal - but one to forget this season

 

Cannock L4s 1 - 4 Stafford L3s

   Cannock struggled to get into their attacking side during the first half and due to this it meant that Stafford scored all 4 of their goals in the first half of playing. The defence were worked hard in particular with a number of short corners to contend with and preventing the opposition from scoring on the majority of them. The high intensity defending left a player unable to play for the next 4-6 weeks and we, as a team, wish Tracey Lloyd-Smith a very speedy recovery as we need her back telling us what to do from the back. At the half-time talk, the team knew that work had to be done to bring the game back to us.
   The second half whistle blew and Cannock were back with a storming performance; constantly attacking and were able to break through their defence to get a couple of short corners which was a fantastic motivation booster for Cannock. Within 5 minutes of the second half starting, Mandy McColl gave a cracking shot at goal and it bought us to 4-1 – Cannock were delighted with knowing the fight was back on.
   Possession was mostly Cannock’s in the second half after a lot of 1-2s and good passes in 16s thanks to the defence reacting quickly to the turnover. However, despite this good fight, Cannock were unable to score again meaning that the game ended at 4-1 to Stafford.
   Player of the match this week went to two fantastic players: Jayne Flannagan for her amazing interceptions at the back and Emma Thomas for driving the opposition mad for constantly being on the run and driving the ball to attack. Emma Thomas was also voted player of the match by Stafford.

Next week, the 4s are playing at home against Bloxwich 3s.