HOCKEY
IW 5, Southampton University IV 0
IN ATROCIOUS conditions, IW recorded a convincing win against title contenders Southampton University last week, but the score line was flattering.
Southampton were hampered by the fact one of the cars transporting players broke down, and did not arrive until IW were 3-0, making the most of the extra men as Southampton started with just eight.
Simon Butler opened the scoring before Jonty Leggett picked up his first of the season, and Richard Reynolds netted on the rebound.
Once the players arrived, they still took time to settle and IW extended their lead through Tom Gould’s tap-in.
However, after this, Southampton came into the match and put the IW under pressure.
IW keeper Tom Butt was kept busy, producing a number of important blocks, while defenders Leggett, Dan Bartlett and Lewis Heaven-Gandy kept their opponents attacks at bay.
The second half was a much more even affair, with both teams cancelling each other out as the rain lashed down.
Butt produced a stunning save at point blank range to prevent a Southampton goal, and repeated the feat soon after.
However, it was IW with the only goal of the second half, with Heaven-Gandy slotting home a well-rehearsed short-corner routine.
IW: Butt, Leggett, Heaven-Gandy, Bartlett, Allen, Reynolds, Gould, Simmonds, Kirby, Butler, Liddiard.
Salisbury IV 3, IW II 5
IW II made it eight wins out of eight with a great win at Salisbury IV, in a pulsating encounter made all the more exciting by the driving rain.
Salisbury started in the ascendency, but IW took an early lead against the run of play, when a great pass from Stephen Woodford was deflected home by Tom Young.
Salisbury continued to press and were looking dangerous, but a second goal from Young midway through the half eased the pressure. Salisbury finished the half on top, however, and a missed chance and a great save from goalkeeper Tom Speer in a one-on-one, maintained the two-goal advantage.
Early in the second half, IW conceded a goal following a mix up when defending a short corner, but they rallied and stunned Salisbury with a salvo of three quick goals. A flowing move, started at the back, ended when Jack Nicolaou rounded the last defender and squared to Barry Lloyd to tap in at the far post.
Shortly afterwards, man-of-the-match Woodford made a great run to convert a cross from Lloyd, again following incisive team build up play. The fifth goal, from a short corner, seemed to have put Salisbury out of sight, Young feeding Woodford to sweep home in a well rehearsed set play.
Salisbury were not to be denied and came back strongly, scoring two quick goals themselves, the first from a short corner and then from a swift break following a misplaced long corner, but it wasn’t enough to stop the IW charge.
IW: Speer; Pearson, Curtis, Dickinson, Donald, Dean, Young, Nicolaou, Wheeler, Woodford, Lloyd, Sewell.