Bedford Hockey Club’s Men’s Over 45s are through to the next round of the England Hockey Tier 1 Masters Championship, as they defeated Harpenden in a shoot out after the sides drew 1-1 on Sunday (5 January).
Harpenden opened the scoring 14 minutes into the match from a penalty corner, only for Dan Sims to bring the scores level again ten minutes later with a goal from open play.
After more end-to-end action, with shots on goal from both teams, including a disallowed goal to Harpenden, it remained a 1-1 stalemate at the final whistle.
Being a knock-out championship, a winner was required, and so the match went on to a penalty shoot-out.
After five players from each squad stepped up to the penalty spot, Bedford finished the winner; the Harpenden keeper saving one of Bedford’s flicks, whilst Peter Fannon in goal for Bedford, stopped two.
The Ladies’ 2nd XI also drew in a fast-paced match against their Crostyx opponents.
Bedford were dominant in the attack through the first half of the match, the score being 2-0 in Bedford’s favour at the half-time whistle.
The second half began much as the first, Bedford having several saved attempts on goal.
As the clock ticked down, Crostyx started to take more control, converting a penalty corner in the 60th minute, followed by a goal from open play with just two minutes of the match remaining to seal a 2-2 draw.
The weather once more put paid to match play for any Bedford Hockey Club teams on Saturday (4 January) as frozen pitches forced the cancellation of three away league fixtures and one home match.
They will now have to be rescheduled for a third time.
Bedford’s next round play-off match, against London Edwardians in the England Hockey Women’s Club Championships, also fell foul of the ice.
This coming Saturday, twelve of the club’s fourteen adult squads are due to be back in league action, whilst Sunday hopes to see play for the Under 14 Girls, Under 14 Boys and Over 45s Women, though Jack Frost may have other plans.
Words by Jean Fitch
