Wacsbury have always been a very difficult team to play, a squad with a solid mix of youth and experience who currently sit at the top of the table. Despite being placed first this game was the second defeat they faced at the hands of Wilmslow this season.
The earlier encounter Wilmslow had an outstanding 12-3 win but the score did not reflect Wacsbury's performance that game with them being a little off in their finishing on the Wilmslow goal and a standout game by Jimmy Holt in the goal. Saturday's fixture was a very much a game of two halves.
The Slowtown men had a strong opening 5-10 minutes with Oscar Mellor bagging the first of the game, soon followed by "Pinky" with a great goal. Eliot Leonard pulled one back for the opponents and it seemed to give Wacsbury some fire in their belly but it would be Wilmslow middie Aaron Eastwood to score next. Although WIlmslow were creating some good opportunities the ball movement was a little too slow and offensively a little too static at times meaning a shortage of outlets to get the ball zipping. It was clear that the face off battle was to go in favour of Wacsbury early doors, with WACS winning the ball at the centre X it gave them ample possessions with which they ran some great offense often running their two man game from behind with great success. That 2 man play would soon pay off and they went on a 3 goal run all scored by Harrison "The Stoat" Burkitt. Wilmslow would trail 3-4 at the end of the first quarter.
The Wacsbury run would continue with two goals coming from their midfield. A Wilmslow timeout saw the team step up a little at both ends of the field, Josh Simpson-Pink pulled one back for Wilmslow but within minutes "The Stoat" would sneak another past Wilmslow's Matt Croney in goal. With Wacsbury extending the lead to a 4 goal difference, a Wacsbury timeout with little time left in the quarter might have given the opponents a break but it also gave Wilmslow a little time to once again compose themselves, it would be Wilmslow's Aaron Eastwood who scored the final goal of the half with it being 5-8 to Wacsbury.
A gentle reminder from the coaching staff of Perrin & Perrin that we had been here before, trailing behind but being a team more than capable of getting on a run in a short time if we had the stomach for a fight. Wilmslow have grown and matured as a team over the past 3 seasons, understanding the changes they needed to make across defense, midfield and offensively combined with the belief that you are never out of the fight.
An early goal from Mellor set the tone, Wacsbury got one back within a minute but the next 4 minutes saw Burgess score soon followed by Brooks. Wilmslow had made the decision at half time to put more pressure with their long poles and deny Leonard the ball wherever possible. Wacsbury were finding things far more difficult around the Wilmslow goal. Mellor would score again for Wilmslow to take a 10-9 lead but only 3 minutes later Wacsbury scored, a stick check was called by Jason "The Weasel" Perrin. The stick was found to be illegal with the goal cancelled and Wilmslow playing man up for the last 3 minutes of the 3rd quarter. One man up goal, a ground ball won at the next face off and another man up goal. Wilmslow would lead 12-9.
Although they had found their groove, Wilmslow knew that they needed to be aware that Wacsbury were a team able to come back if we were to take our foot off the gas. Goals from Chatterton and "Pinky" extended the lead, Wacsbury got a goal from their attack but the next one would be by Wilmslow's Louis Andrews. The dying minute saw some patience playing man up to see out the win.
An excellent test of character for Wilmslow and just the type of game to lead them in to next weeks clash against second placed Sheffield. Wilmslow are on a 4 game undefeated run which will feed their confidence going in to the game.
