Plashet 1 Clacton 2

NE14Hockey Division 3SE

Plashet 1 Clacton 2

Clacton put in a fantastic team performance to earn a well deserved battling win at Plashet.

The Seasiders defended collectively and attacked together when the opportunities arose.

Man-of-the-match Mike Key, in goal for Clacton, pulled off some awesome saves to keep the home side from getting any momentum.

At the back Nick Key, Gavin Underhay, Jamie Roberts and Tom Blake defended together and kept the home side away from the castle.

In midfield Carl Parkes, Dan Hunn, and Rob Lukey protected the defence and kept possession well, also supporting the forwards of Sam Hodge, Alex Mortimer, and Densil Donovan with some sweet flowing passes to cut through the home side.

Clacton only managed two short corners in the first half, the first on ten minutes where the home keeper made three successive saves from Parkes, Hunn, and Roberts to stop the visitors taking the lead.

With two minutes remaining of the half Clacton got their second short corner and Hunn thumped the ball under the diving keeper for the Seasiders to go 1-0 up, probably against the run of play, but deserved reward for the team effort of the half.

The second half saw the home side come out more composed and playing some nice attacking hockey, but they found Mike Key in inspired form in the Clacton goal where he made six or seven class saves.

The Seasiders continued to frustrate the home side with great organisation and team defending.

Roberts was a welcome return, tidying up at the back when needed, and Nick Key was also on top form tackling strongly with a flat stick.

When Clacton went forward Hodge and Donovan got the ball deep into the home team's half, earning free hits and short corners.

The home side got their equaliser midway through the second half with a great strike from the top of the circle that flew into the top of the net, Key only able to get his finger tips to it.

The Seasiders stepped up determined not to let all the previous hard work count for nothing and with the forwards still keeping good possession the midfield were able to join in and to ask questions of the home defence.

With ten minutes to go Clacton earned a short corner and when Donovan was played into space he neatly placed a pass wide of the keeper where the Seasiders had three players queuing up to score the winner. Hodge was the man who walked the ball over the line for 2-1.

This was the last straw for the home sides discipline which saw them reduced to nine men.

Clacton saw out the final minutes in a strong professional manner and aptly ended the game with a final short corner which Hodge poked centimetres wide.

Next week Clacton take on Waltham Forest at Clacton Leisure Centre (14:00).