v Havant, (Home), 13/10/07 Lost 5 - 8
High-scoring Havant inflicted defeat on a struggling Canterbury at Polo Farm on Saturday.The home side conceded 8 times following the previous week’s tight defensive performance and must wonder why they can’t achieve the levels of consistency and performance that they know they are capable of.
In a first half that yielded 8 goals, both sides enjoyed the lead.It was the visitors who were the first to hold the advantage, Ben Alberry converting from the penalty spot after the ball had struck a defenders leg en route to goal.
Within 5 minutes the score line favoured with Canterbury, with Chris Bassano-Harper and Brian Garcia both netting for the home side.This lead was to be short lived as poor defending allowed Thornton Mcdade an unopposed reverse-stick shot and then Egyptian international Ahmed Ezz Mohamed fired his side infront.
Parity was temporarily restored courtesy of Matt Harper’s deflection, but ex-Great Britain penalty corner specialist Calum Giles gave his side a two goal cushion going into half time with two well placed flicks.
To achieve a positive result from the game, Canterbury need to halt the flow of goals and the second half started brightly.However, 3 goals within 15 minutes of the restart, a brace of corner strikes from Giles and an unstoppable half volley from Mohamed, left the home side with too much to do.
Disenchantment was more than obvious in some of the Canterbury players and Christian Pryce spent time suspended from the game for dissent.Mohamed also spent some time with the Delegate for a bad tackle, but by this stage the game was over.
Pryce’s strike in the 54th minute proved to be little more than a consolation for his side and Canterbury were left to ponder a heavy defeat, inflicted by a side that once again were hungrier for victory and more clinical on the day.
Frustratingly, Canterbury dominated for periods of the game but find themselves still searching for the missing ingredient that can turn these periods into critical, match winning situations.
Squad: Bassano-Harper, Cowling, Dowsing, Dunn, Farrer, Garcia, Hare S, Harper, Hayward, Keir, Kimber, Pedersen, Pryce C, Pryce R, Richford, Stevens.