Gregory on target in victory

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Oct 25, 2006

Byline: David Lockwood ,

Huddersfield Hockey Club first XI bounced back in style to finish a mixed weekend on a high.

Beaten 4-2 in a lack-lustre performance against LA Carnegie seconds, they responded 24 hours later with a cracking 4-2 win against York University Firsts at the same Adel War Memorial Club venue.

The 10.30am start to the Carnegie game left Huddersfield half asleep and they were 3-0 down inside 15 minutes to a sharp, determined side playing fast-flowing hockey.

Rob Kelly flicked home from a short corner just before half-time to give Huddersfield a glimmer of hope.

Huddersfield were sharper in the second half, but against the run of play Carnegie took advantage of a lapse in concentration to score a fourth.

Huddersfield made it 4-2 from another short corner when Andy Christie netted his second of the season.

The following day, despite a number of players being unavailable, Huddersfield turned in an excellent display to beat York University 4-2.

Huddersfield moved into a 2-0 half-time lead with Kelly scoring from a short corner and Nicky Elson added an outstanding solo second, racing from just outside his own half, turning a marker in the D and finishing well in the bottom corner.

The majority of the Huddersfield team touched the ball in the build-up to Cooper's superb third goal - he came in off the left wing to pounce - and it was a surprise when York got a couple of goals back to make for a tense last few minutes.

Any nerves were eased, however, when Amjid Hamid (whose tackling and distribution was top class) started a well-worked move which finished with Clem Gregory charging in to seal matters from close range.

Team - (v Carnegie): Baillie, Townend, Christie, Hannam, Chowdry, Gregory, Kelly, Rogerson, Moorhouse, Elson, Kay. Sub: Harris.

Team - (v York University): Baillie, Townend, Christie, Hamid, Hague, Gregory, Kelly, Wainman, Moorhouse, Elson, Cooper. Subs: Chowdry, Farnell.

Huddersfield VI lost 2-1 at home to Doncaster, despite creating more chances.

Wynter missed two early on - a deflection from Walker's shot and another chance from a string of neat passes - while Shimell failed to convert or deflect another hard drive from Walker.

The defence and midfield did sterling work, with Moorhouse and Stansfield in form and Doncaster were held at bay with Walker and Stalworthy pivotal.

After a goalless first half, Doncaster's passing and communication improved, but it was Wynter who scrambled in an untidy goal to put the hosts ahead. Doncaster, however, hit back strongly to grab two goals in the closing stages to ruin the Huddersfield party.

Squad - Abdulla Hassan, Stansfield, Wynter, Clancy, Durrans, Hales, Stalworthy, Hampshire, Walker, Moorhouse, Davies, Brook, Shimell.