Middlesbrough National Premier League Team Sponsered By

"After a torrid nine hour journey from Middlesbrough to the Kent based team, the Middlesbrough squad were tired and poorly prepared for this important fixture against the reigning league champions.

However, in recent weeks Middlesbrough have gained some momentum in the league and after a close encounter a month earlier in the opposite fixture the squad was confident that they would not return home empty handed.

The game started cautiously with HBU gaining the early momentum, looking more comfortable and confident on the ball, with Middlesbrough being restricted to long range or speculative efforts which the HBU team dealt with comfortably. After five minutes the dead-lock was broken with Brendan Barker stealing the ball back in Boro’s half and laying off a nice ball for HBU to take the lead. This had little effect on the Boro team who continued to look nervous and uneasy, as HBU took advantage again and extended their lead to 2-0. Boro made some changes, introducing Peter Lonsdale and later Grant Zaccaria and this seemed to settle the team down. Boro regained their rhythm going forward with a much needed injection of enthusiasm and offered up stern defence thanks to Michael Ableson when HBU were attacking.

HBU however seized the initiative before half time, as Boro went in to melt down, scoring four goals in the last three minutes of the half to effectively kill off any possibility of a fight back from the Boro team, the first half finished HBU 6, Middlesbrough 0.

Middlesbrough were not going to go down without a fight though and came out in the second half looking much more like themselves. They started to defend more aggressively which has served them well in recent weeks and started to move the ball around creating some better chances in front of goal. However, scoring seven goals past the reigning league champions was no small task but Boro set about their business. With less than two minutes of the second half gone the fight back began, with Owen Stewart pushing a neat turn and shot passed the HBU goalie despite consistent and aggressive fouling from HBU manager McVey.

Four minutes later John Jones finished a sumptuous counter attack move, which saw Marc and Owen draw the HBU goalie and defender out of position leaving an empty net for John to score in. A further two goals from Jones brought the score back to 6-4 with 15 minutes remaining. With Middlesbrough well in the ascendancy now, Graeme Stewart grabbed a brace, one of which a clinical penalty after some untidy defending from the HBU rear guard, bringing the score to 6-6.

Middlesbrough now needed the belief that they could go one step further and beat HBU, but right on queue HBU took the lead after a slice of luck saw the ball bounce up in the Middlesbrough area and Barker arrived unmarked to slot it home. Boro were in no mood to let the game slip away after matching HBUs six first half goals with six of their own and after a tremendous double save to from Ian Smith with the clock running down he managed to direct the ball to Marc Rutland on the counter attack. Marc skated the full length of the rink under pressure from the HBU defence and flicked home passed the stranded HBU goalie.

With three minutes left on the clock, the game could have gone either way with Owen Stewart and Michael Ableson having good opportunities for Boro and Phil McVey having a good opportunity at the Boro end. It was not to be though, an enthralling up and down game which finished with the spoils even, 7-7."

Match report By John (Xsmall t shirt) Jones.