M3s take win despite Captain's absence

After a week of reflection we turned up at Hitchin to play Blueharts 4’s. Our Captain had abandoned us, we don’t believe this was as a direct consequence of the performance last week. However he had managed to secure 12 players with the last minute addition of Gav Elliott to bolster our defence.
 
The wise old heads in the team decided that it was best to revert to 4-4-2, and with Trev Mellor stepping up into midfield, a decision he wasn’t overly happy with, the game commenced. For the first 15 minutes Blueharts threw everything at us, they had a couple of short corners but Broxbourne held firm and shut up shop. A couple of rapid (ish) breaks did however show that the counter attacking style of the 3’s was still present.  Broxbourne slowly started to build into the game and compared to the previous week actually looked like a team that could play hockey.  Then a thunderbolt of a strike was fired into the Blueharts D, from the recalled Gav and Kris Prentice slashed the ball into the goal (it must be noted that KP was wearing a green headband and an Arsenal top, neither is a good look). With confidence returning it didn’t take long for a second goal to arrive. A delicate lob into the D, was missed by the Blueharts defender and there was James Cranfield waiting to pounce, as he steered the bouncing ball beyond the advancing keeper. 
 
Shortly after half time Broxbourne added a 3rd goal. Lee Richards the only 3’s player under 25, and who had an excellent game, ran through on goal, switched onto his reverse stick and buried the ball in the back of the net. 3-0 job done.
 
Blueharts pressed hard to get back into the game, but resolute defending and excellent keeping from diving Dave Podmore kept them out, until with a few minutes to go weary defending (some might call it sloppy) let them get a goal back. However that was the end of the fightback and Broxbourne held on for a well-deserved 3-1 win.