Timperley Hockey Club (From Messenger Newspapers)

Timperley Hockey Club

2:34pm Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in Sport

THE impressive and unbeaten start to Timperley Hockey Mens first team's season was halted this weekend with a close fought loss to promotion contenders Leeds Gryphons.

The 3-2 scoreline accurately reflects a close game where either side could have taken the points, the age old adage of 'a game of two halves' sums up the story with Timperley left frustrated after a lack of discipline in the first half.

Tactics and structure have been the driving force in recent league wins, however the team began quite ragged with their formation, spells of good possession and attacking chances were punctuated by a growing threat from a classy student side who looked well drilled and quick in their attacks.

Although tested, the strong Timperley back four kept the side in the game. Concentration was being lost by Timperley players' bemusement at some questionable umpiring decisions but this should never be an excuse and they were duly punished by 2 late goals in the first half, one with a lucky deflection off a Timperley player, the other an excellently worked goal down the right side leaving the players stunned as they walked in for half time.

After a stern talking to from coach Rob Turner during the interval, it is safe to say that Timperley came out fighting for the second half. The midfield was brought together under the commanding influence of the evergreen Andy Beal and attacks into the Leeds area became more and more frequent with excellent performances from the likes of Wareham and Chapman. The confident start was rewarded with a penalty corner from a desperate Leeds foul and was deftly flicked into the back of the net by a Matt Horan deflection to bring Timperley into the game at last.

The surge was short lived however, as a rare Leeds attack down the left resulted in another neatly worked goal past the Timperley goalkeeper Chis Heaton, a man who has kept two clean sheets already this season. Undeterred and urged on by their captain Dr Hans, Timperley continued to push forward with superb link up play and with just 5 minutes to go were awarded another penalty corner. The man from Barbados who's age is a mystery, Rodney Phillips, stepped up to the fore and smashed home a perfect strike into the corner to leave a fraught close to the game.

The comeback couldn't be completed and Timperley left without a point for their battle scars. Next week will see a huge local derby against Brooklands where Timperley will be looking to put this weekends loss firmly behind them, get down to Stockport Road at 2.30pm for what promises to be a fiery encounter.