Whitchurch Mens 1s 2

Neston Mens 5s 4

In THEIR first of two matches this weekend, Whitchurch played a strong Neston team, with both sides looking to improve on the one-all draw earlier in the season.

Neston brought a good team with some very able young players backed up with some experienced heads, and it had an immediate impression on the game with aerial balls going over the Reds' defence and being picked up well.

Paul "Sturge" Leigh in goal was called on several times to make some great saves, but Neston went ahead early with a good shot on goal beating the defensive team.

Whitchurch recovered quickly and claimed a short corner at the other end, playing a wide ball all the way across the dee where Ben Kimberley picked it up and fired it in, only for the defender's attempted stop slowing it to a trickle as it rolled over the line.

The game settled a little at this point, as the Reds' defence started to pick up their markers better, and Airan Jones worked well on the left, and the usual central defence of Danny Foulkes and James Partington was helped by the return on Andy Magee to provide strength at the back.

Neston turned on the style and the speed to get another which Sturge could do nothing about.

Whitchurch were able to get a second, with a short corner leading to a goalmouth scramble which Hockenhull was able to pounce on and flick the ball over the keeper.

In the second half, though, it was Neston with the majority of play, and as Whitchurch tired Neston were able to slip their markers with more ease and grab a couple more.

They had a number of other shots on goal which they were unlucky not to score from, but Whitchurch were able to do just enough to keep them out. In turn, the Reds were finding it harder to keep control of the ball, and passes were getting more suspect as Neston won.

Whitchurch Men’s 1s 5

Keele University Men’s 1s 1

On SUNDAY, Keele grabbed an early goal with Paul "Sturge" Leigh unable to keep out a sharp strike.

However, Whitchurch responded with a short corner soon after was passed wide to Pip Jones whose strike bobbled past everyone and into the goal.

Into the second half, Whitchurch got their second as James Partington took a quick free hit just inside the Keele half to Conway who quickly slipped it to Ben Kimberley who was unmarked in the dee and slotted the shot away with confidence.

Another goal followed from some flowing movement up the centre of the pitch before the ball was fired at Pip Jones on the back post who calmly put it past the keeper. This was followed by some excellent and unselfish work by Airan Jones playing down the right as he drove towards the dee but, instead of trying a shot past the approaching keeper, slipped it to his left where Kimberley was again unmarked to pick up his second.

The final goal was another piece of confident skill as a short corner went to Barnes at the top of the dee who slipped the ball right, and then right again before it was fired back at Barnes who buried it in the net.

Sunday's was impressive; a team playing for each other, doing the basics right and celebrating a deserved win. Whitchurch are away next week against Bowden Mens 5s.