WITH the half-term break officially booked for last weekend Minehead Men’s 1’s and 2’s both rescheduled matches to enable the Exeter University sides to play a week earlier.

This meant that the 1’s were missing players due to half-term holiday commitments, so four players stepped up from the 2’s to assist, including returning Ryan Jones who took on the role of keeper against a strong University team and earn himself a deserved Man of the Match award.

This was always going to be a tough mission for Minehead, and any hopes slipped a little when Kyle blasted a penalty flick wide, which may have just tested their opponents’ resolve. As it turned out, the students managed five unanswered goals to see Minehead still propping up the League table and still waiting to register a crucial morale-boosting win.

The 2’s hosted second-placed Bristol University 4, who, as expected, fielded a young and fit side with skills to match. In a truly foul weather encounter with rain hammering down for most of the contest Minehead managed to hold their own, bolstered by the presence of Paul Thomas and Chris Gibbons up from the 3’s and Tom White and Chris Weetch returning from injury.

Annoyingly, the students hit four goals on the break in the first half. Playing with the gale behind in the second half, some aerial escapes finally led to Man of the Match Strong sitting high on the wing rounding the defence to win a vital penalty corner.

Going route-one, his strike from the top of the D reduced the deficit and raised soggy spirits. A second corner soon after was fluffed as Pilch tried a long-distance drag flick only to be tackled and see the students break en-masse and race up the pitch for another attack.

The students kept their cool and worked four more goals to 8-1,