Valence came 2nd in Folkestone

Valence turned up on a freezing cold afternoon, with a bare 11, to face a good Folkestone side.
As is the norm with SV 2s, the warm up was synonymous with village hockey, and as normally, they started slowly, finding themselves 3-0 after a quick-fire start from Folkestone.
This normally galvanises the team, and today was no different. For the second part of the first half Valence were very much back on the ascendancy and controlling the game. Two quick fire goals from Chris Sheldon - first one latching onto a good cross into the D and second one arrowing a short corner strike into the bottom corner - sent Valence into half-time only 3-2 down.
The second half was a close affair with both teams playing well, but unfortunately a bare 11 compared with 5 Folkestone subs was the telling factor. Valence were tiring midway through the second half, and unfortunately one attack from Folkestone took a wicked deflection off a Valence stick, resulting in the final score of 4-2.

MOTM: Ross Mackay (Keeper)

Goals: Chris Sheldon (2)

Team: Ross Mackay; Nick Hall; James Abrahams; Steve Parker; Chris Stille; Tom Willson; Andy Barr; Darren Thompson; Chris Sheldon; Alastair Robinson; Ben Tragett.
Umpires: Proved by the home side.

Match Report by Nick Hall.

Next week the 2nd Xl are at home at 09.45 against Gore Court 4th Xl, weather permitting.