NE14 Hockey East Men's LeagueDivision 4NCranes 4 Bury St Edmunds III 1CRANES eventually emerged victorious from this fixture but only after receiving a scare from their visitors and leaving it until the second period to start playing close to their potential.
NE14 Hockey East Men's League
Division 4N
Cranes 4 Bury St Edmunds III 1
CRANES eventually emerged victorious from this fixture but only after receiving a scare from their visitors and leaving it until the second period to start playing close to their potential. Cranes were dominant throughout but appeared disorganised and lacking a cutting edge, leaving them vulnerable to the counter attack and Bury's pacey forward line. Whilst Cranes drew some excellent saves from the Bury keeper and had several shots go narrowly wide, they were equally guilty of wasting several inviting opportunities and paid the price for this when Bury broke quickly, winning a penalty corner that they duly converted - their first real chance of the match.
A further break drew an excellent save from Mike Strudwick after a well-executed LBZ shot from the talented Bury right back. The half-time break could well have come with Cranes trailing by two goals, as it was they were still in touch but in need of some inspiration. They found it from somewhere.
The second half was a different story and Crane righted much of the errors that had gone before moving the ball fluidly from left to right through Nick Tiley-Nunn, retaining possession and causing problems. The mounting pressure created several chances and when Robin Johnson was fouled attempting to score following a rebound from the keeper, Craig Bloomfield expertly converted the resultant Penalty stroke to level the scores.
Johnson got the second goal when he battled through the defence and despite being fouled so badly he would surely have earned a second stroke for his team, he buried his shot as he fell to the ground - a superb finish. From here on in it was all Cranes, Bloomfield added a third and his second from a penalty corner and Revan Jones rounded off the scoring with a well taken strike. With all of Cranes immediate rivals dropping points Cranes moved level on points with the league leaders and sit behind only on goal difference. Man of the Match: Nick Tiley-Nunn
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