Weekend Report No 15 

Some of Cannock's sides returned to action this weekend, after the festive break. 

1s - Division 1 Indoor Super 6s Hockey 

The Men's 1st Team were involved in the Men's Indoor Hockey Round Robin Division 1 tournament. This is being played at Nottingham Trent University over two weekends. Cannock played four games this weekend but lost out to Beeston, Holcombe, Sheffield and Brooklands who make up four of the top five league positions. Cannock sit bottom of the league without a win. Next weekend they have a further four games and take on teams just above them in the league. They will need win these games if they are to climb up the league and avoid relegation this year. 

2s 3 V 2 North Staffs 1s 

Cannock 2s played a thoroughly enthralling friendly match against North Staffs. They started well with a solid press and strong defending all over the pitch. Callum Swinnerton Ions drew first blood with great steal from the two opposition centre backs, which resulted in a 50 metre break, ending in Swinnerton Ions scoring from a ludicrously acute angle. Cannock took their opportunities as North Staffs rocked on their heels. A short corner fired in from Gardner was clinically taken and a third goal was smashed in by Will Fleet. North Staffs responded with two decent goals but Cannock played out the game to record the victory. 
 
DOD DSI locking his brother's keys in the car and Dan Hoare breaking his wrist 
 
MOM Duncan Gladwin for a solid performance. 

3s 7 V 0 North Staffs 2s 

Cannock Men's 3rd Team started 2017 with a friendly against North Staff 2s. The game was a chance to run off the extra turkey and Xmas pudding as well as trying to find their first touch.  
 
Cannock ran out 7-0 winners after out classing their opponents. A new year hat-rick for Ed Martin as well as goals for Alex Hill, Issac Spooner, Andy Hodgetts and Captain Tom Widdowson.  
 

4/5s 2 V 3 North Staffs. 

(A poem from Rufus) 

 
We weren't very good 
They weren't very much better.  
The weather wasn't very good. 
The pitch needed attention. 
The umpires should pay attention. 
The showers were cold and dry.  
The pizza was very much the same.  
But the beer was good. 
Two goals came from Robbo at the penalty corners 
and DoD for discussing fuel economy. All hail Lewis Michael as MoM. 

  
Badgers 10 V 0 North Staffs 

This weekend saw Cannock's Badgers return to action with a scintillating performance against North Staffs. In a replay of the last fixture, just before the Christmas break, where Cannock managed a 3-2 win, Cannock went into the match focusing on achieving a repeat result. 
 
       Nathanael Yerbury was playing his first game in midfield and Tommy Bhageerutty was playing his first game at Centre Back. Cannock started strongly with Connor Lloyd-Smith scoring the first goal within 3 minutes of the start of the game. The score line was soon doubled with Nathanael Yerbury deflecting in a short corner, and with further goals from Oliver Bhageerutty (x2) and the completion of a first half hat-trick from Connor Lloyd Smith, Cannock finished the first half 6-0 to the good. 
 
       The second half continued in the same fashion as the first, with Cannock controlling the game. There were a few opportunities for North Staffs, but when they did attack they found Joe Thomas, Cannock's keeper, is superb form. Further second half goals from Nathanael Yerbury, Harry Michael and another two from Connor Lloyd-Smith (5 in total), completed a final score line of 10-0 to Cannock. This was Cannock's biggest win of the season so far. 
 
       Although the score line of 10-0 is impressive, the performance given by Cannock's Badgers side was more impressive, with no adults and missing a number of senior players, the young Badgers produce an exemplar all round team performance, of simple but effective passing hockey.