WEEKEND ROUNDUP & HEAD COACH ANALYSIS

Oct 18, 2022 | All News, Results

WEEKEND ROUNDUP

Just the one away game last weekend against Streatham in league. A hard fought 3rd period sawa the game end with a respectable scoreline. The team is evolving and growing whilst we contend with a couple of losses due to injury. Here’s the roundup:

SATURDAY 15TH OCTOBER

Streatham IHC v Invicta Dynamos (League)

FINAL SCORE – 8-5

DYNAMOS GOALS – Davis (2), Long (2), Huska

HEAD COACH ANALYSIS

We went into Saturdays league fixture with Streatham knowing that we had a tough ask ahead of us. Not least because of course they are a very strong team, but also in light of a short bench we had for the game.

We were missing the injured lads (Ruskin and Soarsy – who supported from the stands), Louis through work obligations and of course our two-way players who were icing for the Mustangs in their game with the Huskies… meaning that this old man had to take a few shifts where he could. 😂

Despite the absentees we went into the game on a high after our OT win in Chelmsford, knowing that we would have to be at our best in order to take anything from the game.

Ambition for us at the start of the season was to close the gap. Between us and the top end of the table. Streatham have been the benchmark in our league for a number of seasons now so these games are the challenges that we need to use to grow and test our development.

For me I thought we were quite slow to get into the game properly. A little hesitant in our decision making and slow to adapt to the threats that they offered offensively. That said we still managed to create chances and finished the first still in the game.

Moving into the second we knew we needed the next goal, to give ourselves some chance at a comeback. We conceded early but then replied straight back and at 4-2 we could sense a comeback…. That was short lived as they scored a couple on the bounce leaving us 6-2 down heading into the final period. That’s a mountain to climb against them.

In the second period break we knew that we had 20 mins left this weekend to give our all. Our ambition was to win the period and we did that. When their 8th goal went in I must admit I found it hard to believe that we could redeem ourselves in the manner that we did. Credit to the boys for digging deep… 3 unanswered goals and 2 huge saves where potential goals were waved off meant that we finished the game with a positive period.

So an 8-5 finish means that we conceded less, scored more and kept the score line closer than the last game. Closing that gap just a little more.

So signs of improvement from the lads and as always definitely positives and lessons to take from the game for next time we play them.

As always a special mention to our travelling fans that were in Streatham in full voice throughout. You make the difference for us every time 👏

We now have another big weekend ahead of us in the Cup against Oxford away and Slough at home in the league. We’ll get another week of training under our belts and be ready come game time on Saturday.

COYD 🐴🏒👍

NEXT UP: