MINEHEAD Hockey Club’s men’s first team retarted their season with an emphatic win over Taunton Vale, hitting double figures without reply.

Minehead were fielding one of the stronger sides they have put out this season and having found a decent rhythm before the Christmas break, were keen to push on.

Mahlch nudged a cross over the line to open the scoring for Minehead early on, before Bolton, Wheaton, Dowson and Hooper joined him on the scoresheet. The first half saw Minehead applying a brilliant press high up the pitch, turning over possession well and leaving the Vale forwards stranded. Notaro-Livingstone hooped a drag flick just inside the post to make the score 6-0 at half time.

The second half started much the same with consistent Minehead pressure, though Vale adapted well and moved an extra man into midfield to cope with Minehead’s youthful box-to-box players. The scoring was not done, however, as Hooper, Wheaton and Notaro-Livingstone got their braces, and Ross Wright grabbed his first of the season.

Lee Fairbrother made some great saves in the Minehead goal in a man of the match performance to keep a clean sheet with the final score being 10-0.

Minehead 2nds started the second half of the season away against Firebrands 5ths. As they started the game it was clear Minehead were the stronger side. Minehead started slow but most of the play was in their opponents’ half, pressing high and pressurising their defence though it took a while before they managed to score.

Minehead ended the first half 2-0 up but performance was sub-par. A team talk for at the break got Minehead head together for the second half and they started playing much more sharply and with much more conviction. Play sped up with short and sharp passes creating more opportunities and keeping most of the possession in their 25.

Minehead had plenty of shots on target - and off target - but they kept pushing. They managed to add six goals in the second half; Minehead’s defence pushing high managed to score four - two from Strong and two from Jones. The midfield and attack scored the other four - one from Sam Cobb, one from Clegg and two from Taylor.

Minehead 3rd XI travelled away to play Yeovil & Sherborne 3rds for the second time this season.. Playing into the sun for the first half, Minehead struggled to dust off the cobwebs from the long Christmas break and conceded a careless early goal.

Yeovil looked like they could take the upper hand with the match but Minehead re-grouped and some great forward play by Will and Max Reed saw an equalising goal to lift the spirits.

Yeovil returned with another goal to make it 2-1 at half time. The second half saw Minehead start with the advantage and capitalised with an outfield goal by Max.

Yeovil were frustrated and spent little time in the Minehead half. Unfortunately, shots on goal by Moody and Churchill were unsuccessful but the game ended in a respectable draw for both teams.

This was undoubtedly a good start for the Minehead club and particularly for the first and second teams who began the New Year in goalscoring form. All three teams now look forward to the rest of the season - with plenty more goals.