The Jersey Hockey Club vets travelled to Burton-on-Trent – and with 15 minutes to go, were 3-2 up and on course for round three – when their opponents regrouped, overtook and won 5-3.
For the OVs, hosting Worcester Sorcerers, the final 5-0 score suggested a one-sided game, but that was far from the truth.
The match was played at break-neck speed in the first half, and the score was 0-0 at the interval.
But Worcester had the stronger, fitter team, and they more than made their mark in the second half.
The Sorcerers, who have several county players and Welsh international Malcolm Evans in their team, immediately put the OVs under pressure but the Jersey side’s defence was disciplined and well-organised, with centre backs Mattie Sutton and Ian Taylor in excellent form.
Taylor did an excellent job on former England junior international Matt Perry, and the two Richards – Le Lièvre and Sugden – dealt well with the marauding Worcester wingers.
Midway through the first half, a short corner was stopped on the line by a wayward OV foot but the subsequent penalty was put well over the bar, and the strong tackling and harrying by Peter Harris and Andrew Arthur, and a succession of superb saves by OV ‘keeper Mike Labey kept the score goalless at half time.
Unfortunately the OVs couldn’t maintain the line, and Worcester scored three goals early on.
The first came after a mélèe in the OV goalmouth and, despite three valiant efforts by Labey to stop him, Evans poked the ball over the line from close range.
Lapses in OV concentration were severely punished by two further Worcester goals, but urged on by a vociferous crowd, the OVs regrouped and created a number of good goal-scoring opportunities, Mark Fullerton using his pace to get behind the Worcester defence and supplying some inviting crosses for Mick Millar and Nigel de Carteret, producing the OVs best period of attack – but the Worcester defence held firm.
The classy Sorcerers maintained the pace and, with the OVs tiring, two further goals put the match beyond Jersey’s reach.
Worcester captain Kevin McQuire said that they had been impressed by the OV’s fight and determination and that their half-time team talk had included prospects of extra time.
And another player commented that the Sorcerers have been trying to get to play in Jersey for the last 14 years, and that in an earlier HA competition, more than 100 members of the Worcester Hockey Club, including the club barman, had added their names to the list of possible players to travel to Jersey to compete.
Umpires were Malcolm Banahan and Garret O’Brien.
Meanwhile, JHC Vets were playing their match in Burton, after arriving at the club just 15 minutes before the start because of heavy traffic in a four-hour drive from Gatwick.
Nevertheless, and despite being without five of the players who helped them win the first round game, JHC took the initiative and kept possession and created chances.
Burton took the lead after a conflicting umpiring decision – one umpire signalling one way, the other the other way.
Jersey thought they had the ball but the umpire allowed Burton to take it quickly and they scored.
JHC suffered another blow when Jonathan Morley-Kirk was injured, and replaced by Will Kay which left JHC minus any substitutes.
But they bounced back with a goal from Peter Taylor following a short corner, and maintained the pressure and were rewarded with numerous short corners, but failed to capitalise.
Burton took the lead just before half time, leaving JHC 2-1 down, but Jersey dominated the start of the second half as midfielders Paul Masterton, Conrad Evans and Peter Taylor worked well, and the equaliser came after an effort which included Nick and Peter Taylor, Evans and Rob Hurry – and a deflection off a defender! Then Hurry produced an excellent solo run and Jersey took the lead – but the JHC were beginnning to tire and Burton duly took their chances and scored two quick goals to make it 4-3 to the home side and, despite Jersey’s best efforts, Burton made it safe in the dying minutes.
