Bourne Deeping HC Vs Spalding HC

This weekend saw the Dragons take on local rivals Spalding in the last of the Dragons elite’s friendlies. The game started positively for the home side with them enjoying plenty of possession with the midfield working well and moving the ball about on a lively Arthur Mellows’ pitch. However it was the visitors that took the advantage mid way through the first half when a penalty corner was vaguely awarded to them which the Spalding striker managed to put into the bottom corner from a reverse strike bobbling over the BDHC shot stoppers foot. A late arrival from Chris Clarkson, finally wrenching himself out of bed, saw him come onto the field to replace an injured Ben Slack who had collided with a Spalding player. Within minutes of him coming onto the field of play he had managed to rip through the Spalding defence to slot home the equalizer with a sweet reverse shot. However Spalding then regained the lead shortly after when a shot just managed to creep its way underneath the Bourne Deeping Keeper. Half time BDHC 1 – 2 Spalding HC.

The second half started just as the first did with plenty of possession from the Dragons once again with Alex Glover finding plenty of distance with the aerial ball from the back. Great inter play from the midfield and forwards saw a shot at goal deflected onto the post from Harry Oakley and with the ball falling kindly in front of him slotting the 2nd equalizer home. However shortly afterwards and another dubious penalty corner award to Spalding, they were able to put the ball yet again into the bottom corner of Page’s goal this time coming off the keeper’s stick but with not enough on it to keep it out. More pressure from BDHC come and the game started to really open up. Finally after several consecutive Penalty corner awards to the Dragons, a well worked Corner saw Ben Slack able to fire home to once again level for the Dragon’s. With the clock running down the home side felt that the draw was on the cards until a breakaway from the Spalding attack saw a shot deflecting off the committed Page’s glove to a player on the back post to tap in the winner for the visitors. Final whistle blew for the game to end BDHC 3 – 4 Spalding.