Scorer(s): D Wright 2

Cannock travelled to an away fixture with Loughborough with an under strength side due to injury and unavailability's but with ambition and hope of pulling of a result against their great rivals.

Cannock's line up was not a familiar one especially without the Harris twins in the team due to a wedding (not to each other) and a number of players with the 1st team competing in the Euro hockey league.

Cannock started the game lively and applied pressure on the Loughborough team who were themselves full of energy. Cannock was able to create a number of chances in the opening period and even though they won a number of penalty corners they were unable to get on the score sheet.

It was Loughborough who open the scoring when on a rare visit to Cannock's final third they won a corner, and through a mix up between James Bower and keeper David Kettle a weak flick found its way into the goal.

Further pressure from Cannock won them another penalty corner with which following a slick move David Wright pushed the ball low into the goal to equalise. Unfortunately during the move Stuart Gooderham injured his ankle and had to leave the pitch and took no further part in the game. It was later revealed that Stuart has torn ligaments in his ankle and faces up to 5 weeks on the side lines. We wish all the best to Stu.

This incident brought a 50% fit Phil Bailey on to the pitch and with a little sign of unorganised play from Cannock, Loughborough managed to round an excitable Kettle on the edge of the 'D' and release a bobbling shot which Andy Humphrey hit onto his own foot on the line. A stroke was awarded and converted and left Cannock 2-1 down at half time.

The second half bought a more open game as Cannock tried to claim an equaliser. Ten minutes into the half, Cannock won a penalty corner. Wright flicked the ball from the top of the circle into the top left hand corner of the goal leaving the keeper no chance to level the score.

The game continued to be end to end and with Cannock down to 10 men with Matt Whitehouse being sin binned Loughborough scored a goal out of nothing with a lucky scoop from the edge of the 'D' looping over kettle and two Cannock players missing the ball as it dropped underneath the cross bar.

As time was running out, Cannock became stretched and following a goal mouth scramble Loughborough manage to scramble the ball over the line for a fourth.

A disappointing result for Cannock as even though they were under strength, had chances to take something from this game.