Bury Stretch Chelmsford to Win

The 3rd Round of the England Hockey O50’s Men Championship saw a strong Bury St Edmunds side travel away to Chelmsford’s Beehive Lane ground for a replay of the meeting two seasons ago when the Essex side dispatched Bury from the same competition.

Most of the Bury players had been rested on the Saturday due to poor weather and were ready to take the game to the opposition.
Bury’s focus on keeping the ball saw them recycling the play from successive attacks creating several opportunities for the midfield of Blackburn, Allen and Johnson to push through to the D creating a number of short corners which Bury failed to convert.

Simmons, Thompson and Konrath linked well at the front of the park moving the defence and creating shots on goal, one of which struck the post having been launched past the advancing keeper’s head.

Chelmsford played an opportunist style and earned a short corner which was bundled over the goal line through Gibson – who had an otherwise flawless game.

Ten minutes before the end of the first half, an inspired piece of dribbling skill from Chiang, rounded several players along the base line and laid the ball back to Dykes who drilled the ball into the goal inches above the back-boards to level the score.

Changes to the line up for the second half increased the pressure on Chelmsford’s defence and a fitter and quicker Bury side stretched the home side’s midfield dominating the first 10 minutes of the half.

Chelmsford always looked dangerous and their very strong and skilful forwards were well serviced by their midfield who worked tirelessly to probe the Bury back line. Calver, Watson, Yeates and Dyball smothered a series of incisive moves from the home side who released the ball early to Bass and Herod who countered quickly, producing more unconverted short corner opportunities.

As the second half progressed, Bury’s careful use of substitution by manager Ballard, opened the game to a more free-running style with Thompson and Konrath being fed through the midfield of Bass, Allen and Blackburn.

Fittingly, the last goal came Simmons and Thompson, whose work put the ball on the edge of the D for Konrath to flash the ball under the keeper with just 11 seconds left on the clock.

The next round of the competition sees the Bury side travel away to Mardon Russets in Kent on the 17th February.