Scorer(s): J Foster, M Whitehouse, J Bower

Cannock arrived at Loughborough University and they were disappointed to find that at ‘the home of unrivalled sporting achievement’ they were scheduled to play on a rubber crumb surface. A quick warm-up was followed by an extended session of ‘stick and ball’ to allow the team some time to adjust to the unfamiliar surface.

Cannock started the game gingerly and went behind within five minutes. As the half progressed so Cannock adjusted to life on rubber, Matt Whitehouse shot just past the post and was then duly sent off for his protests at a foul he believed had been committed preventing him from scoring. Paul Watkins continued his good start to the season putting in some brilliant defensive work on the left-side of the pitch.

As the half progressed Cannock were beginning to dominate the game and were able to stifle the few Loughborough attacks that threatened. In the 25th minute Cannock were rewarded with an equalising goal from the unlikely source of James Foster putting the ball high into the net sneaking in to the D after injecting a short corner.

Cannock spent most of the break emptying their astros of small pieces of rubber.

The second half started much the same as the first with both teams unable to make any possession play materialise into goal-scoring opportunities. It was Cannock who made the break through after several short corners when Whitehouse swept the ball into the goal on his reverse and after a loud team celebration the watching Loughborough masses awoke. The lead lasted no more than five minutes as poor Cannock defending was punished for the second time that afternoon. This did not perturb the side who continued to force short corners with which Mayer co-ordinated and it was indeed one of these corners that lead to the winning goal from another unlikely source Jimmy Bopper.

The final minutes were dominated by the Loughborough crowd barracking members of the side and ill-discipline which could have been punished more severely. At the final whistle both teams were in agreement that the pitch had been a factor in a scrappy affair that is usually more pleasing to watch.’