A 10 man Stockport team visited Wilmslow on Saturday and not only put in a valiant shift but in fact took a 3 goal lead before the home team could wipe the sleep from their eyes. Stockport's Ryan Martin bagged his first goal in 35 seconds of the opening face off, perhaps a wakeup call for Wilmslow normally but it would seem we hit snooze.
Having won the next face off Wilmslow would lose the ball with an unforced error seeing possession with the visitors and resulting in Martin letting off a shot from just inside the restraining line that would find the bottom corner. Stockport had a fast breaker from the face but could not execute. Chris Bland had two good chances within a few seconds but could not convert, a younger Bland would most defiantly made Wilmslow pay for their defensive mistakes, although Bland is early 50's he is still a handful to cover with his size and strength.
A man up opportunity just 5 minutes in saw Ryan Martin grab his hattrick having the ball been feed right through the Wilmslow man down, another defensive brain fart of not having our sticks up in the passing lanes to deter feeds. Having kept unusually quite until this point coaches Perrin and Croney called timeout to allow the team a most to clear heads and realize it was indeed Saturday afternoon and the game had started without them. Wilmslow showed immediate improvement from the timeout with better ball movement resulting in a flurry of shots before Simpson-Pink would find the back of the net with a perfectly placed bounce shot. The goal lifted the entire Wilmslow team with the defense being tougher and communicating much better on the following defensive shift, a after clearing the ball the home team again had some excellent ball movement with Mellor skipping the ball across the Stockport defense to Parry who would find Chatterton to finish on the crease. Both teams created some good scoring opportunities but both goalies made some solid saves. It would be Stockport's Chris Bland who would get the next goal with a strong drive from behind and an inside roll. The first quarter would end 2-4 in favor of 10 man Stockport.
The second quarter started in the same theme of the 1st, face offs being won by Stockport. The youngster they had in at the X had done an outstanding job winning his team much needed possessions when they had a bench void of subs. Wilmslow's second offensive possession of the period saw an excellent chance created with Pinky receiving the ball and driving hard having stepped on the field, driving the alley, throwing back to Parry who fed Brooks on the crease for a quick stick that was denied by the pipe. Mellor won the groundball, beat his man and had a sliding bounce just bounce off him. Bowe did much better on the next face off, Wilmslow coming up with the loose ball and being patient with the ball before Burgess was to find Chatterton with space on the crease again before a well place low shot was be beat Jimmy Holt in the Stockport goal.
It defiantly felt Wilmslow's face off guys had work out their opponent, George Widdowson won the next one cleanly. Oscar Mellor put away a well placed shot of a feed from Chatterton, shot placement would be key in this game as Holt has been one of the top goalies on the Premiership in recent seasons and helped Stockport win the Flags Final last season. Mark Bowe won the next face with a fast break, with the slide a little late but Bowe then under pressure, he took a one handed shot the stung the top corner. A goal that every member of the Bowe family will have been forced to watch on YouTube hundreds of times over the Easter Holiday.
With Stockport stunned by Bowe's goal they called a timeout in order to get Bowe's autograph. A change of faceoff middie at the restart but Widdowson won the ball froward and cleanly again, a great chance for Mellor was saved by Holt and an interference call on Brooks against the Stockport goalies stick while in the crease would see the away team go man up. Wilmslow kept them at bay and moments later would go man up themselves but unable to convert. The home team did create a few good chances but Holt made a couple of good back to back saves, tough luck would the next goal kicked in by Fairfield. With Holt shaking off the goal, he would then make 2 great saves from Simpson-Pink shots, spurred on Holt's saves veteran Bland had a solid dodge and despites Wilmslow's defense efforts he managed to get off a one handed shot behind his head, a save by "Monkey" in the Wilmslow goal but Stockport's number 6 pick it up and shot that found the net.
Stockport would take first blood in the second half with a goal from Bland to close it to 6-7. Fortunately for Wilmslow, Stockport couldn't execute the fast break from the face off but a penalty against Wilmslow would gift Stockport another opportunity but Goddard made a key save for the home team. Simpson-Pink got the next goal with a fine solo effort to give Wilmslow a two goal lead. Widdowson won a fast goal from the face which although the first chance of Mellor to Parry didn't' connect the next of Brooks to Parry would. Wilmslow would extend their lead on a man up goal from Chatterton, assisted by Mellor. Simple and quick ball movement would allow Simpson-Pink to rifle one in to the top corner and add to his tally. Another good face off my Bowe would give him another chance for glory but saw his effort stopped by Holt with a great save. Wilmslow got the next goal from a really nice assist from Chatterton giving Parry his second goal of the game but Stockport replied shortly after with a Ryan Martin slipping under his man on a cut. The next face off saw fast break to Wilmslow, then Stockport, back to Wilmslow before Parry found Brooks who finished down on the left pipe.
With the home team leading 13-7 heading in to the last quarter and Stockport looking tired. A dodge and leftie bounce shot from Pinky would open the scoring in Wilmslow's favour. He would score again a few minutes later, Simpson-Pink has really hit excellent form of late and the crazy thing is that he still has more great lacrosse ahead as he develops, an exciting player to watch and difficult to cover. Wilmslow's last goal would come from Seth Janaway assisted by Danny Ingham on the back of a groundball. The last goal of the goal would come from Stockport's Chris Bland, shaking off the Wilmslow defense and scoring one handed.
This was always going to be an odd game with a number of players missing from both teams but it was still valuable for those heading to Junior Flags Finals next Saturday and a difficult decision for Wilmslow coaches to select the team. The Junior Flags Final will be the biggest game many of the squad will have played in to date and players have the chance to help carve out the team's and the club's future.
A huge thank you must go to referee Wilf Seville who joined Wilmslow this season as our home ref. Wilf is stepping down from on field duties and has been an excellent servant to the game over many years. Thank you Wilf for all you have done for the game.
