Carew Hockey Club 4 Cardiff University 4

Carew Hockey Club hosted Division One leaders Cardiff University in weather conditions that tested the new Pembroke astroturf pitch for flooding! This was always going to be a difficult game for the Rooks, with M. Clements, N. Lewis T. Ferguson and B. Wheeler all missing from the starting line-up.

Carew had the best of the first five minutes and looked to be going ahead, with a Jamie Smith effort narrowly missing the Students' goal. But it was a breakaway from deep in the Students' half that saw the Rooks go a goal down and shortly afterwards, again after Carew were pressing, another break and they found themselves two down against the run of play.

Both teams being attacking sides meant the flow of the game from end to end was a spectacle for any neutral, but for the home support it was more of who might nick the next goal which was to be all-important and, despite valiant goalkeeping by Will Harding and defending by Martin Bowles, it was Cardiff who made the scoreline look like a one-sided affair as they stretched their lead to 3-0.

Youngster Bradley Clements was influential down the left having a fine game. However, with fluid match substitutions made in hockey, Jeff Marsh came on for Clements and immediately found himself in on goal, narrowly missing the target, only within minutes to find himself again in a similar position and this time roofing the ball into the top of the net to bring Carew back into the game.

A free hit from just outside the circle and Martyn Passmore, the regional 360 head coach, dribbled in past several defenders and with a 'tomahawk' hit on the reverse, which he has just learnt from one of his 360 student hockey players Ollie Wheeler, saw the ball fly past the 'keeper into the top of the net !

So at 3-2 at half-time and the pendulum had definitely swung towards Carew.

The start of the second half saw the Rooks take the game to Cardiff, who were now rattled. Carew were awarded several short corners, but could not covert them to goals.

However, Smith was now being put into space, with Kendrick working well up front with him. In a fluid passage of play starting at right back with Dale Pearson and involving midfielders Sam Barton, Emlyn Williams and Mike Read, Carew captain, Smith, was put one-on-one with the 'keeper, only to have the ball bounce off his stick onto his foot as he put it into the goal.

However, within minutes from the disallowed goal, Smith picked up a free hit from Simon Mosely and, taking the ball along the back line, slipped it between the diving 'keeper and the post to make it three apiece.

Carew took the lead with Passmore, Williams and Kendrick moving the ball through the Cardiff defence and from a shot on goal, Smith picked up the deflection and slid across the ground to push the ball into the net.

With just minutes to go to the end of the game, Carew looked the likely winners, only to have the three points taken from them in the final attack as Cardiff threw everything at them.

It made the final score 4-4 in what was a really entertaining game in the wintry conditions.

Team: Will Harding (GK), Simon Moseley, Dale Pearson, Martin Bowles, Mike Read, Sam Barton, Martyn Passmore, Bradley Clements, Steve Kendrick, J. Smith (capt.), Jeff Marsh.

Umpires: Dave Miller. Bernie Wheeler.