Venue:                         City Lords                   Date: 19 May 2010

 

Squad:

 

N Namuyamba (VC), W Bradfield, N Gailey, C Thorp, A Katzeff, T Rist, A Friederichs R Msutu (C), S Ellery, M Mangi, J Moorcroft, B Shiel, N Hornbuckle. C Corney, S Loocke.

 

Missing: J Davidson (inj), R Dennis (inj).

 

 

Goals:              Mziyanda Mangi (2), Alex Katzeff (1).

 

Report:

 

We did predict that the team were going to get things right in this game, and they certainly managed to produce the goods.

 

Without doubt, Kingswood put together their best performance of the season to go up 3-0 in the first half. Mziyanda Mangi showed some deft touches to score twice, while Alex Katzeff scored off a well worked penalty corner.

 

Pearson were forced to defend for most of the 1^st half, as Kingswood piled on the pressure. There were a few break-away opportunities for Pearson, but Kingswood’s defensive play is getting better and better with each game. Up to now, it has often been desperate scrambling in defence, but the team seems to have now developed as a very solid defensive unit. Some of the most improved players are in defence. As usual, midfield worked tirelessly, and had the strikers running well off the ball. Ruru Msutu, had a great game in midfield, and we were delighted to later find out that he was selected for the EP U18A side.

 

The second half probably had Kingswood a little too excited, and the structure seemed to be the casualty of this. They still however, managed to play some very good hockey at times. Pearson had more opportunities in the second half, probably due to more counter attacks available to them, as Kingswood seemed too desperate to penetrate their D. Pearson’s persistence was rewarded with a late goal, but more impressive, was the their goal-keeping in the second half.