Cranes 6 IES II 1

NE14 East Men's League

Division 4NE

Cranes 6 IES II 1

THIS was an excellent result for Cranes against local rivals who were one league place above them courtesy of a better goal difference at the start of the weekend.

On a very cold day, the weather abated to allow a game of free flowing hockey. Cranes started brightly and were full of energy and determination as they tore straight into the visitors. It wasn't long before a series of cross field passes found Paul Muchal in advanced position on the right who drew the defenders towards him before slipping the ball to Andy Bristow, who looped the ball over the advancing keeper to open the scoring.

IES came into the game and threatened briefly, forcing a penalty corner however Crane broke again, this time in numbers sweeping up the pitch and again a series of clever passes found Andel Williams on the right who squared the ball to Craig Bloomfield to execute an excellent slap hit from the edge of the circle.

IES were straight back on the attack and managed to grab a goal back through David Taylor and it looked for a moment as if things would be closer, but Cranes stepped up a gear. Nick Tiley-Nunn went close with a drag flick from a penalty corner that whistled past the post and when Muchal won a second corner, Kieran Bromley injected to Bloomfield who rifled in his second with the minimum of fuss.

Moments later Crane broke again, working the ball through midfield to Rob Cole who found Bristow with a brilliant through ball and inevitably the score became 4-1. With IES having to chase the game, the second half was a more even affair however with Bromley and the Joneses (Revan and Leon) operating in relative comfort at the back IES only created one serious scoring opportunity when ex Cranes player Lee Hadley had a shot cleared off the line.

At the other end Tiley-Nunn and Cole combined to win a penalty stroke, which Bristow promptly missed but he grabbed his hat trick shortly after from a Tiley-Nunn cross from the left after good work by Ady Dawson. It was Tiley-Nunn himself who rounded the scoring off, sweeping the ball high into the net from Muchals cut back having drawn the keeper at the end of an incisive move.