Men's 2nd XI: Lichfield Draw.

This was the first game of the new league and Sutton Coldfield, champions of the previous year met with Lichfield who had come down a division. Sutton Coldfield, strengthened by the addition of Josh Ward and Nick Brewill, started with a point to prove.

Both sides came out strong and with statements to make. From the off there was very little between the sides. Lichfield looked wary and Sutton Coldfield just started getting into their press. It was Lichfield that opened the scoring however with a short corner – so almost saved, the ball ricochet off our defenders and rolled over the goal line. Sutton Coldfield remained positive however and some good attacking hockey also yielded a short corner – duly dispatched in the bottom left corner by Nick Brewill. 1-1 at half time.

The second half Sutton Coldfield pressed early and Lichfield seemed hurried. A dangerously lifted aerial produced a free hit and subsequently another short corner with some disagreements expressed by the Lichfield player. Lichfield had a player yellow carded and to add insult to injury Sutton scored their short corner; Josh Ward threading the ball under the keeper to make it 2-1.

Lichfield rallied well under the pressure and even with a man down they never seemed out of the hunt. Once their player re-joined the game, a few crucial errors and lapses in concentration by Sutton led to a 2nd Lichfield goal, once again off a short corner. It remained a very closely fought contest; neither side could undo the others defence and the final score of 2-2 seemed a fair result. For both sides it was a decent performance and a good way to start off the league, which promises many more closely fought matches.