Men's 2nds snatch league survival by beating Spalding 3
South were pumped up from the start, against a Spalding team also fighting to avoid relegation. The home midfield engine of Fleck and Massey, were able to gain control and set forwards Wong and Wiskich off on dangerous attacks. This bore fruit as Nick Wong got on to the end of a couple of great crosses to stab the ball in from close range for a brace of early goals.
The whole team was playing aggressive, committed hockey, not giving Spalding the space to come back. Home team substitutions kept Spalding guessing and enabled South to conserve energy. Some had to play in unfamiliar positions, notably Tim Waller (left back) and Mark Reilly (wide mid), but no one looked out of place. Stuart Creed grabbed a third goal just on half time with a long-range bobbler deceiving the keeper. The lead was well deserved but it still needed cool defence, with the Benedikz brothers at the core.
Spalding came back after the interval and got a goal from one of a number of short corners; they were unlucky not to have a penalty soon after, but this didn't deter South. Chris Massey got the final goal from a well-worked short corner interchange with Andy Lewis.
South had to win to give themselves a good chance of staying in 5NW but we were relying on Ely City 3rds to drop points later in the day. Jan Brynjolffssen acted as messenger by haring up to Peterborough, where Ely were playing, and relaying their score to expectant teammates when their match finished. By 2.30pm it was known that Ely had lost, we had won, so relegation was avoided by two clear points.
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