Clacton 2 Wapping III 2

NE14 Hockey East League

Division 3SE

Clacton 2 Wapping III 2

Clacton extended their unbeaten run to six games, but with five of them now draws this was two points dropped against a team below them in the league.

The Seasiders started brightly, with captain Carl Parkes running at the visitors from the off to earn a short corner.

Ric Coleman's shot was saved and the visitors cleared the ball, ran down Clacton's left and bundled the ball over the line for a moral boosting 1-0 lead.

Clacton's defence of Mike Key, Nick Key, Gavin Underhay, Colin Hook, and Peter Wright kept the visitors at bay after that and gave the midfield of Tom Blake, Jamie Roberts, and Sam Hodge a base to work from.

Up front Coleman and John Hambrook worked the visitors defence with man-on-the-match Coleman getting available deep and able to hold the ball up waiting for support.

Clacton got back on level terms when Parkes placed a short corner goal bound and with Hambrook running across the defensive line and keeper the ball crept into the corner for 1-1 at the break.

The Seasiders had to cope with ten players for a couple of spells as Underhay required treatment with Clacton not having the advantage of any substitutes.

The second half saw Clacton dominating play and creating attacking moves without causing the visitors keeper too many problems.

The Seasiders second came from another short corner and when Coleman's strike was well saved Roberts was in the right place to score his first of the season high into net.

Clacton were unable to turn the possession into more goals, Hodge went close after a mazy run down the left only to see the keeper save well.

The visitors kept themselves within a goal and as they grew in confidence they caused the Seasiders a number of scares with deflections just passing either post before they got an equaliser.

Clacton were unable to keep the effort up and unable to get the ball into dangerous areas and ran out for another draw.

Next week Clacton travel to Brentwood for the last game before the six week Christmas break looking to keep the unbeaten run going and hoping to get a few points on the board too to make progress away from the wrong end of the table.