Mens 1st's vs City Of Peterborough

Pelicans mens 1st XI 1-8 City of Peterborough mens 1st XI  

For the first time In 609 days, almost 18 months. Pelicans’ unbeaten run at home, more commonly known as “the Sporttress” is over and in emphatic fashion as they came up against league leaders Peterborough on Saturday. A team who were relegated from the national league last season was always going to pretty useful at hockey but when they can boost a former England/GB international in their forward line you know you’re going to be up against it from the first minute. The game was won by half time with Pelicans finding themselves shellshocked and 6-0 down. It’s fair to say Dan Upton had a busy afternoon in goal but also fair to say he was powerless to prevent the goals going past him. Despite the best efforts of Chris & Iain Page, Ian Simmons, Jason Esser, Huw Mathers and Sam Major in front of Upton they just couldn’t live with the visitors movement up front. The Pelicans midfield of Kirwin Christoffels, Sam Landles, Jack Major, Ollie Booth put a real shift all afternoon but spent most of it like the rest of the side, on the back foot! Tony Phillips, Miles Doncaster, Jacob Craig and George Van Aalst didn’t get much go their way at all up front but kept on working hard to create any kind of opportunity. The second half saw Pelicans create a bit more as on the attack and caused the league leaders some problems. The began to move better as a team off the ball and despite conceding two more goals to make the score 8-0, they did at least force a consolation goal from captain Phillips from a penalty corner which was well won by the determination of Major. Chances fell to Major, Van Aalst & Simmons who was a threat throughout with his intelligent movement off the ball but the scoreline didn’t get any closer. 

Despite the heavy defeat and a third in fourth matches for Pelicans the immediate message from the squad was to draw a line under it and learn from this, with one final game of 2024 to go they will be keen to finish a fantastic year on a high! As for Peterborough it’s safe to say if you finish above them, you win the league! 

Pelicans MOM sponsored by 4Way Ian Simmons