3rd Xl - Clinical Herne Bay punish a possession-dominant Valence side

Kent Open Premier C
Sutton Valence 3rd Xl 2 : 5 Herne Bay 3rd Xl

Clinical Herne Bay punish a possession-dominant Valence side
Sutton Valence hosted Herne Bay and were looking to bounce back from three straight losses.
They started the game at a high tempo and managed to squeeze Herne Bay in their half for the first 20 minutes. Although dominant in possession, Valence were unable to capitalise on their strong start. There were a few threats to goal, but nothing that troubled the Herne Bay keeper too much. After spending the best part of the half camped in the opposition half, Sutton Valence found themselves on the back foot and in Herne
Bay’s first attack of the game, they went 1-0 up. This was quickly followed by another 2 quick goals, with each of them coming from poor passing from the Valence team. Herne Bay had only three real chances in the half and they converted all three.
At half time Valence were wondering how they’d not managed to score and how they were 3 goals down. At
times in the half they played some of their best hockey of the season, but just lacked the killer instinct to put
the ball in the back of the net.
The second half started more balanced with both teams taking chunks of possession, but Herne Bay found the back of the net another twice to take the game to 5-0. In the final 20 minutes SV found the same form they had at the start of the game and with 5 minutes to go scored twice in quick succession. The first through an excellent drag flick short corner (Freddie Hulbert), the second a deflected shot by Chris Sheldon. The game ended 5-2.
Valence felt it was a tough score line to swallow, but high possession doesn’t win games, goals do. The team
had played well, but Herne Bay were just more clinical in front of goal as a team.
MoM: Lee Croucher, in goal for Valence, who kept the score line much lower than it could have been in the second half.
Goals: Freddie Hulbert, Chris Sheldon

Team: Lee Croucher, Mark Whitmill, Ben Grabham, Dave Lewis, Ben Tragett, Freddie Hulbert, Tom Harris, Chris Sheldon, Dylan Queen, Stuart Edmed, Chris Bailey, Alex Pocock.
Umpire: A Wishart

Next week Sutton Valence 3rd Xl continue their Kent Open Premier C League season lying 10th with two games in hand, with an away game against Holcombe 4A Xl, currently lying in 9th position.