Banbury Run Amok with an 11 Goal Win over Slough
Banbury Men’s 1s – 11 Slough Men’s 1s - 1
Banbury needed a big win to close the gap on Premier League leaders Oxford University and this
performance certainly helped with 2 games in hand, 2 wins needed and still more goals required to be crowned league champions on goal difference.
Banbury started the game knowing they needed to play a clinical attacking game and the first 6
minutes saw them storm ahead 3-0. For the first goal, Joe Allen brilliantly intercepted a Slough aerial pass who passed to Harry Simons in the Slough D who won a penalty corner – up steps Man of the Match Josh Nunneley to fire a drag flick home to make it 1-0. Two minutes later Nunneley found George Godwin with a great aerial pass and Godwin stormed into the Slough D to win another penalty corner which Nunneley dispatched in the same manner. Then just after 6 minutes, Harry Simons won another penalty corner and Nunneley’s rocket of a drag flick made it 3-0. Slough wasn’t rocked by this and some great interplay won them a penalty corner after 8 minutes which keeper Kit Lamb initially saved but Slough was quicker to the rebound and scored to make it 3-1.
Banbury then started to dictate the game again, especially through Tyson Nunneley, Sam Chadbourne and Joe Allen and more attacking play ensued leading to George Godwin carving
through the Slough defence and winning another penalty corner which Josh Nunneley converted with a vicious drag-flick to make it 4-1 midway through the first half. Just 3 minutes later Chadbourne stormed through the Slough defence and lobbed a beautiful pass over the keeper to
Captain Will Kellett who volleyed the ball home to make it 5-1. Slough’s heads didn’t drop though
and Darsh Theara and Pete Lamb in the heart of defence had to work hard to keep Slough at bay.
Banbury, unfortunately, lost the influential Tyson Nunneley at this point to injury after a brave tackle and had to restructure the team. Banbury coped though and 2 great goals before halftime involving pass and move flowing hockey through George Godwin, George Brooker, and Harry Simons led to 2 simple shots from Kellett and James Long to make it 7-1 at halftime.
The second half started with Banbury just as hungry for goals and within 5 minutes the ever-busy Chadbourne found Godwin who slipped the ball around the Slough keeper to Kellett who slapped the ball home to score his hat trick and make it 8-1. The rest of the half was end to end hockey with Harry Simons and Joe Allen particularly working hard to win possession and build attacks. The final 3 goals came in the last 5 minutes of the match. Godwin’s hard work found Simons in the D whose shot was saved but Brooker was there to volley in the 9th goal. Then with 3 minutes left Godwin carved through the Slough defence again to find Brooker who slapped in the 10th. Just before full-time great work by Richard Hobley in the D won a final penalty corner which Nunneley scored with a low drag-flick making this final goal his 5th of the game. 11-1 to Banbury - final score.
Andy Camp, the Banbury HC Manager said – “we gave the lads a target to turn possession into goals and they did exactly that. They were untouchable today in a hard fought match where they were clinical in front of goal. We now have 2 matches left which we need to win and bag 13 goals if we are to take the title.”
Photo: Man of the Match Josh Nunneley bags 5 goals
Photo: James Long dictates the play in midfield and scores