BRIDGEND A 1 PEMBROKESHIRE HC 1

This weekend saw the high flying Pembrokeshire team travel to arch rivals Bridgend.

Pembs were the first team out of the traps and quickly brought the Bridgend 'keeper into action when he was forced to react quickly to parry a Jamie Smith effort over the bar.

After this early effort neither 'keeper really had too much to do. Bridgend dominated the majority of possession, but the away side continued to look threatening on the counter-attack.

Unfortunately. Pembs. were without influential centre-half Tim Lounds, which gave skipper Bernie Wheeler little choice but to alter his game plan and his usual first choice formation. It is fair to say that this upset the team balance slightly and the Pembs. XI took a while to adjust.

Stear must be credited for all his hard work in man marking the creative Bridgend skipper and ex-international central midfielder Malcolm Thomas out of the game. It was evident for all to see at the end of the game as he left the pitch a very frustrated man!

Some dogged defending by the away team players limited Bridgend to just two shots at goal and only two short corners throughout the first half period.

The first short corner was defended by Colley and Woods pressurising the stopper into conceding possession and the danger then cleared. The second, awarded on the half-time whistle, resulted in a moment of controversy. The ball ended up in the net, but the umpire correctly disallowed the goal as it was plain for all to see that the ball hadn't been stopped before the strike.

Putting the first half incident to the back of their minds, Pembrokeshire started the second period with all guns blazing.

Within eight minutes they were a goal up. Some stout defending by Thomas won possession and he quickly found Fordham, who used his trickery to beat two players and then find Smith on the edge of the circle who beat the last defender and unselfishly squared the ball to Kendrick to finish off the move, giving the opposing 'keeper no chance.

This stung Bridgend into action. They quickly exchanged personnel in midfield and started to dominate possession once again. Whatever they managed to throw at Pembs. was repelled admirably by the back line of Irving, Moseley, Colley and Thomas.

Mid-way through the second period, Pembs. were unlucky not to double their lead. A smart aerial ball from Fordham found Kendrick in the left corner. The ball made its way through Smith to Woods who hit it first time, bringing out a super save from the Bridgend 'keeper.

A minute later it was Miller in the Pembs. goal pulling off the save of his life, his leg extending up into the air in 'Inspector Gadget' fashion after his initial save had gone direct to an attacker.

As the final minutes approached Bridgend clearly had the away side on the back foot. Pembs. were forced to endure attack after attack. Eventually they conceded a penalty corner.

This time there was nothing that could be done to prevent the equaliser, even though Pembs. will feel unlucky that Miller's smart save fell to the stick of the Bridgend centre forward.

This result leaves Pembrokeshire Hockey Club at the summit of the league, two points ahead of Bridgend.

Team: D. Miller, S. Moseley, N. Thomas, S. Irving, T. Colley, R. Wood, B. Wheeler, I. Fordham, S. Kendrick, A. Stear, J. Smith, B. Minney.

Umpires: J. Wheeler, A. Hibbert. Match sponsors: Pembroke Garden Centre.