Holt 0 Cranes 3

NE14Hockey East Men's League

Division 4NE

Holt 0 Cranes 3

CRANES travelled to North Norfolk expecting a difficult game and having been beaten at home by Holt earlier in the season they were determined to make amends.

Crane started the better team, making the best of an attacking formation and encouraging some excellent build up play from Paul Muchal and Andel Williams on either flank. Muchal was a menace to Holt firing in several dangerous crosses, one of which drew and excellent save from the Holt keeper after Andy Bristow deflected goalwards. It was Muchal's delivery that led to the opening goal, a well-struck free hit to Nick Tiley-Nunn who deflected the ball into the path of Robin Johnson to flick into the net.

It was an excellent poachers goal from Johnson and his first for the first team since his recent elevation from the seconds. Crane continued to dominate; Bristow went close again after a superb aerial ball from Tiley-Nunn completely outfoxed the defence, the resultant strike narrowly missing the right hand post.

Several good opportunities came and went and as the half progressed Holt started to make more inroads, Mike Strudwick in the Crane goal was called into action to thwart two Holt breakaways and Revan Jones deflected a goal bound shot over the bar as the pressure built, Cranes were grateful for the half time whistle.

The second half continued to be an open game, with Tiley-Nunn, Andy McManus and Craig Bloomfield dominant in the middle Cranes created several chances that were not converted and as Holt looked to hit the front men with long balls from defence they were consistently denied by the last man, in most cases Revan Jones or Trevor Bunce who were revelling in dispossessing the Holt forwards each time they thought they had got away.

Just as the tension was really building as Crane clung on to their solitary goal lead, the matter was settled around 10 minutes from time. With Holt committed forward the ball broke to Muchal in the centre circle who surveyed the scene and saw Bristow take up a starting position wide left, Muchal then lived up to his billing as the Beckham of 4NE by shaping to go left before executing a slide rule pass that bisected the centre of the defence into acres of space, as the keeper advanced to the edge of his area Bristow nipped across the line of the ball, stranding the keeper, and he walked it into the empty net, game over and points secured. Bloomfield added a third from a penalty corner and Holt knew the game was up. Several contenders for man of the match including Nick Tiley-Nunn, Craig Bloomfield and Andy McManus but the performance of Revan Jones on his return to the team earns him the honour.