Colchester 1 Crostyx 5

NE14Hockey East Men's League

Premier B

Colchester 1 Crostyx 5

COLCHESTER remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the table after going down 5-1 at home to high flying Crostyx. Colchester battled well and for long periods of the game match their opponents.

Colchester created the first chance of the match when Will Devitt was fouled in the 'D' after a cross from Rohan Khaira, from the resulting Penalty Corner the Crostyx keeper made a double save. First from Craig Warriner's dragflick effort and then Rohan Khaira's follow up.

Just moments later Colchester were indebted to their keeper as Grant Hibbert came out well to deny any chance after Joe Rich was robbed of the ball just inside the 25. The game settled down and was played primarily between the two 25s. However Colchester were fortunate not to go behind when a nice one-two between two Crostyx attackers drew Grant Hibbert out of his goal, only for Tim Wright to get back well to get in the way of the shot.

Colchester were playing some nice hockey and creating a few chances. Tom Philp made a good run before being felled for a free hit. The hit was taken quickly, too quickly for Warriner who couldn't control the pass when on the top of the 'D' and the chance had gone. From the 16 yard hit that followed Rohan Khaira intercepted the ball before driving to the baseline and centring the ball, as the ball came across it hit a defender's foot and just evaded Tom Philp at the back post.

Just as Colchester looked to be getting on top Crostyx took the lead. A free-hit into the 'D' was not properly dealt with by Duncan Scott, with the Crostyx forward taking a touch before firing the ball into the back of the net. However Colchester were not going to give up and pressed hard for an equaliser before half-time. Craig Warriner having his penalty corner effort saved by a defender on the line just moments later.

With two minutes remaining in the half Colchester did draw level. Mark Kennedy put in a good tackle in his own half before passing to Rohan Khaira. Khaira drove into the Crostyx half before passing the ball back to the advancing Kennedy. Kennedy's strike into the 'D' was deflected high into the air and over the goalkeeper with Will Devitt on hand at the back post to reverse stick the ball into the empty net.

The second half continued in a similar vein as the game was keenly contested. However it was the visitors that would create the more chances. With just minutes gone in the second half Crostyx had their first Penalty Corner of the half with Michael Pearce getting out well to deflect the strike. However Crostyx were not to be denied for long. A straight strike from a Penalty Corner in the 42nd minute found a gap between Grant Hibbert and Richard Bran to find the bottom corner.

Colchester's best chance of the half fell moments later when Rob Mann flashed the ball wide from the top of the 'D' after Kennedy had once again made a good tackle and set up an attack.

The visitors continued to create chances and Colchester were indebted to Hibbert in the goal who made two good saves in a couple of minutes to keep the score at 1-2. Colchester came back into the game in a good ten minute spell but couldn't quite create a telling chance.

With just 10 minutes remaining the visitors stepped up their game once more and put the game to bed. A bad tackle in the 25 by Will Devitt gave Crostyx another Penalty Corner. Hibbert got a touch on the straight strike but it need a save on the line by Khaira to prevent a goal, however Khaira couldn't do more than block the ballot the side and towards another Crostyx forward who took a touch before firing past Khaira on the line.

Two minutes later Crostyx had their fourth. A neat ball to the back post drew Grant Hibbert out of the goal where a nice ball across the goal gave the attacker a simple tap-in. Colchester were struggling and weren't helped by the sin binning of Will Devitt after another bad tackle in the 25 gave Crostyx another Penalty Corner. This time well saved by Grant Hibbert.

With Colchester chasing the game in the final minutes, Crostyx completed the scoring. A long ball to the top of the 'D' drew Hibbert out to deny a chance, however the ball rolled underneath him and the forward swung his stick at the ball to send it trickling over the goal-line.

Hills Residential Man of the Match was Mark Kennedy once again for his strong defending.