Colchester 4 Wisbech 4

Premier B

Colchester 4 Wisbech 4

Colchester and Wisbech shared eight goals in an enthralling game of hockey on Saturday.

The hosts stated strongly and opened the scoring within ten minutes when Matt Low blasted home from a short corner.

Pervious encounters between the sides had been fiery and this game proved no different. Much of the first half was a scrappy affair with neither side able to keep the ball for any sustained periods, with some poor umpiring decisions affecting the flow of the game as the game became heated.

The visitors pushed in search of the equaliser, mainly through their ex-international Bradley Apted, but Colchester held firm until they conceded from a short corner with 10 minutes of the first half remaining.

The home team went into the break ahead when Craig Warriner went on a mazy run and slipped the ball to the unmarked Ryan Rawson, who had the simple task of slotting the ball into the empty net.

Apted soon had Wisbech level before Warriner restored the hosts lead when he went on another fine run before wrong footing the visiting keeper with a reverse stick shot.

Colchester were soon reduced to 10 men when Tony Elston was sin binned for a late challenge on Apted and the visitors made them pay when they equalised for a third time from a scrambled short corner.

Elston retuned to the field but could do nothing to prevent Wisbech from taking the lead for the first time with ten minutes remaining.

Colchester stormed forward looking for a leveller and it arrived with five minutes remaining when a strong run down the right from Rohan Khaira opened up the visiting defence, Khaira then slipped the ball to the unmarked Brian Barker who tapped the ball home from close range.

In the ensuing celebrations Mark Kennedy was given his marching orders, meaning that Colchester would have to play out the remainder of the game with ten men, but they eventually held out to claim a share of the spoils.

Colchester welcome highflying Harpenden to the Garrison this Saturday in their final game before the Christmas break (2pm start).