Goodricke produced a sublime display of resilience and graft, to grind out a deserved 2-2 draw with a James side packed with university players. Two goals by Alex McDonald cancelled out strikes from Rohit Rana and Ashley Collinson, and helped to secure a point which establishes Goodricke as one of the top sides in this year’s competition.
Goodricke started the game in a positive fashion, but neither side was able to get a grasp on play. Both teams had goals disallowed for lifted balls, before Goodricke opened the scoring midway through the half. A quick passing move found McDonald in space, allowing him to slot home into the vacant net. James seemed reinvigorated by this setback, and began to pile the pressure on the Goodricke defence. Yet led by Tom Merriman, Goodricke weathered the storm and went into the break a goal to the good.
Goodricke’s lead didn’t last long after half time, as James’s pressure finally told, Charlie Tyler embarked on a surging run, picking out Rohit Rana in the box, who equalised for last year’s league winners. James then took a crucial lead as Ashley Collinson fired home from only five yards out, to complete the turnaround. Goodricke, however, were determined that their efforts would not be in vain, and they levelled the scoring through McDonald’s second.
The point however was far from sealed, and James again pressed for a third goal. James’ enigmatic and extremely vocal captain Chris Butterworth almost scored from a short corner, before the last play of the game saw James awarded one of many short corners, and this time they almost cruelly broke Goodricke hearts. Yet their defence was not to be breached, and a powerful shot was cleared off the line to safety, ensuring a point for the team in green.
After the game a delighted Goodricke captain Ben Crawley told Vision: “James were the team to beat and we held our own today. I’m pleased with the performance and the result.” James were less thrilled by the final result, with Butterworth commenting: “It’s like a loss today since we dropped points.”
The match was a fantastic advertisement for college hockey, with a combination of skill and true college spirit on display, creating a fascinating spectacle for onlookers throughout the encounter. The same can not really be said about the one-sided contest between Vanbrugh and Alcuin, which saw Vanbrugh, inspired by hattricks from Jess Winnan and Ollie Martin, run out 10-1 winners against a beleaguered Alcuin team, which seemed devoid of confidence and structure.