Alderley Edge men’s hockey first team got the second half of the season off to a flying start with a comprehensive victory over Urmston.
Edge started brightly and created a series of half chances, but against the run of play Urmston were awarded a penalty corner and finished well. Edge grabbed an equaliser when Adam Wildig applied the finish to well worked pressure in the Urmston D.
Urmston battled hard, had a high work rate and caused some concern to the Alderley backline without finding a way to goal. Andy Taylor was introduced to his first taste of North League hockey and from McPherson’s cross shot he deflected the ball into the net with his very first touch.
In the second half it was much the same with Edge playing the better hockey but Urmston showing good industry and they grabbed an equaliser when a miss hit cross ballooned over the D, the ball was quickly played to an unmarked player at the back post who slapped it home.
Urmston then won a corner, but as the routine went wrong Edge took a quick hit and broke away, Wildig going one on one with the keeper and playing a neat one two with Joe Gregory to score.
Chris Baker-Brian continued to impress at the back winning all his tackles and using the ball well. Badger and Scarsbrook were good outlets out wide and the midfield maintained their high work rate throughout.
Laurence Barnes made it 4-2, when after receiving the ball on the 25 yard line intelligent running off the ball by the forwards opened up a gap and as soon as he got into the D there was only going to be one result, as his fierce strike flew high into the net.
Wildig completed his hat-trick to make it 5-2 and Edge then dominated, creating several scoring opportunities, the Urmston keeper made several good saves and Edge squandered many chances to extend their lead. Urmston had one final attack in the last minute, Riley forced to his only save of the game.
This was a good result which moves Alderley Edge up to second place.
The 2nd team kept up their promotion challenge with a 5-1 win over Urmston’s second string and the 3s had an emphatic 6-0 win against Bangor City.
