Bees Edged out of close game

With a full team of 16 and a 6-2 win earlier in the season, some may have thought that this game would be the first step towards the league title.

The Alderley team were unrecognisable from the previous games in both personnel and it was evident that they had gelled well as a unit. It was however, the Bees who made the better start but an organised defence from the back 4 of the away team and a couple of good saves from the young keeper kept it goalless. The 5 Bee subs were perhaps a hindrance at times as players found themselves moving positions. Alan Leonard played at both full back and centre back, Tom Ainsley at Centre Back and Right Wing and Antony Rigby all over the midfield. Perhaps due to this, the Bees never found a rhythm in the first half whilst the visitors played a much prettier, free flowing hockey.

The best chance in the first half for the Bees should have put them ahead. Gareth Hampton selflessly played a great ball across the D to the unmarked Tom Hornsby at the back post to tap in but he somehow dragged it wide with the goal gaping. Not long after, Richard Greenhough had a shot cleared off the line and it seemed it was going to be one of those days.

The greatest threat Alderley offered were from short corners but Dean Colasurdo managed to save all attempts on goal and the defence dealt with them well. 0-0 at half time with perhaps the Bees having the clearer chances.

The second half started in a similar fashion but the visitors took the lead after a well worked short corner saw a deft pass into the rushing attacker from the left who shot well past Colasurdo and past Ashley Critten on the line. Jamie Stephenson, as always, ran the left wing ragged and Matt Bottomley was constantly helping out at the back in his anchor role. The best chance to equalise came when Patrick Souter made a run from centre back, round 3 players before playing in Rigby who couldn't get a clean shot off.

The game winner came ten minutes before the end as another short corner was played back to the injector who made no mistake from 2 yards out. The Bees battled on and a back sweep goal from Gareth Hampton literally seconds before the end of the game was just a consolation.

League title swings back in the favour of Sale HC, who won comfortably today, but this league has shown us more than once that anything can happen and with three games left for both clubs, there's sure to be a twist in this tale yet.