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Sat 21 Sep 2019
University of Bath
Men's First Team
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Match Report
Bristol Bombers23 Sep 2019 - 09:25
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Bombers take on Bath University in a Preseason Friendly
As many teams around the country started their league campaigns for the years, bombers felt out with no official game. Fortunately, Bath University where half way through their preseason and looking to get a game under their belts and offered a friendly. As the bombers arrived the first issue was negotiation the car park as hundreds of new university freshers where moving in at the same time. With players arriving in drifts and drafts at the pitch the Bombers women team, provided the pre-match entertainment in their own friendly against the students. With the sun providing a roasting environment a quick warm up was completed and it was time for the first Face off the year.
Andy Adams step up to do his favourite job on the pitch, turning the face off in to a scrap, a feature that remained through out the game. Bath came up the ball and bombers defence sprung in to action, limiting any chance of bath to get any shots off, and any they did were stopped by John Brandon between the pipes. The game progressed with Bath dominating progression, until Captain Owen Edwards picked up a loose ball, broke down the side of the pitch before stepping inside his defender and taking an outside shot the found the back of the net. In the excitement of a long pole goal, Piers Crawford tried to convince the refs that he was the one to score, however they noticed that he was running around with a short stick. A second goal was added by Will Mangion to take Bombers to a 2-0 lead after the first quarter.
With the second Bombers attack where finding their rhythm, the control lead to more chances but they where unable to beat the keeper. Though the quarter bombers struggled with their clear, relying on long passes or defenders carrying it over to get back to attack. Confusion on the ride lead to a quick break from the bath students, which they converted in to their first goal of the game. With both teams getting long possessions in order to give the defences time to recover, the game slowed down with no further goals. With 5 seconds left in the half Edwards went a little ambitious and shot high and wide of the goal from his own restrainer line.
After a 5-minute break and gallons of water consumed both teams where back on the pitch for the second half. Bombers had sorted out their issues with their clearing and where successfully transitioning from defence to attack. The attack continued to trouble the aggressive Bath defence, strong dodges from Crawford and Nick Hind, allowed quick ball movement to provide looks for Matt Ward and Tom Pratt. Still neither team could add to their tally, until Mangion got himself free to score his second. Bombers defence started playing out further, with rewards coming with more turnovers, and forcing Bath to take shots from further out which didn’t trouble Brandon. Louis Smith decided he want on the score sheet and had a long-range effort that found the keepers stick. As the whistle went Bombers where 3 – 1 up.
With 20 minutes left in the game, bombers remained in control of the game, moving the ball well in possession and applying pressure in defence. With the bath keeper in possession, bombers locked off his passes option, causing him to throw long down the pitch, resulting in Edwards being hit illegally, a flag being thrown and bath calling a time out simultaneously. After a quick talk with the refs both captains agreed to have a time out and that Bombers would restart in a man up situation. During the clears, defender Aidan Hood was running over the halfway line more frequently as he looked for any excuse to have an attempt on goal. Following a large check from Tav Yung to prevent a Bath attacker catching the ball, Bombers found themselves man down. Things went from bad to worse as an attacker miscounted and came back to help resulting in an offside and another Bomber sent off. The remain 4 defenders worked hard to see out the time and get back to full strength. Edwards then found himself in with the ball on crease after beating 2 player and went on to prove that poles should switch hands by missing a left-handed shot. Mangion finished off a hat-trick to secure the game for Bombers, with Smith providing an enthusiastic goal celebration.
Next week Bombers start their SEMLA Division 1 Campaign against Cambridge at home.
Andy Adams step up to do his favourite job on the pitch, turning the face off in to a scrap, a feature that remained through out the game. Bath came up the ball and bombers defence sprung in to action, limiting any chance of bath to get any shots off, and any they did were stopped by John Brandon between the pipes. The game progressed with Bath dominating progression, until Captain Owen Edwards picked up a loose ball, broke down the side of the pitch before stepping inside his defender and taking an outside shot the found the back of the net. In the excitement of a long pole goal, Piers Crawford tried to convince the refs that he was the one to score, however they noticed that he was running around with a short stick. A second goal was added by Will Mangion to take Bombers to a 2-0 lead after the first quarter.
With the second Bombers attack where finding their rhythm, the control lead to more chances but they where unable to beat the keeper. Though the quarter bombers struggled with their clear, relying on long passes or defenders carrying it over to get back to attack. Confusion on the ride lead to a quick break from the bath students, which they converted in to their first goal of the game. With both teams getting long possessions in order to give the defences time to recover, the game slowed down with no further goals. With 5 seconds left in the half Edwards went a little ambitious and shot high and wide of the goal from his own restrainer line.
After a 5-minute break and gallons of water consumed both teams where back on the pitch for the second half. Bombers had sorted out their issues with their clearing and where successfully transitioning from defence to attack. The attack continued to trouble the aggressive Bath defence, strong dodges from Crawford and Nick Hind, allowed quick ball movement to provide looks for Matt Ward and Tom Pratt. Still neither team could add to their tally, until Mangion got himself free to score his second. Bombers defence started playing out further, with rewards coming with more turnovers, and forcing Bath to take shots from further out which didn’t trouble Brandon. Louis Smith decided he want on the score sheet and had a long-range effort that found the keepers stick. As the whistle went Bombers where 3 – 1 up.
With 20 minutes left in the game, bombers remained in control of the game, moving the ball well in possession and applying pressure in defence. With the bath keeper in possession, bombers locked off his passes option, causing him to throw long down the pitch, resulting in Edwards being hit illegally, a flag being thrown and bath calling a time out simultaneously. After a quick talk with the refs both captains agreed to have a time out and that Bombers would restart in a man up situation. During the clears, defender Aidan Hood was running over the halfway line more frequently as he looked for any excuse to have an attempt on goal. Following a large check from Tav Yung to prevent a Bath attacker catching the ball, Bombers found themselves man down. Things went from bad to worse as an attacker miscounted and came back to help resulting in an offside and another Bomber sent off. The remain 4 defenders worked hard to see out the time and get back to full strength. Edwards then found himself in with the ball on crease after beating 2 player and went on to prove that poles should switch hands by missing a left-handed shot. Mangion finished off a hat-trick to secure the game for Bombers, with Smith providing an enthusiastic goal celebration.
Next week Bombers start their SEMLA Division 1 Campaign against Cambridge at home.
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