Bath 7-3 Gloucester B by Lord Lucan
An overcast sky with the threat of rain never far away greeted Gloucester B to Odd Down in Bath. The game, played in four quarters was a lively end to end tussle that produced ten goals and many more missed opportunities.
Bath started the brighter and were soon passing the ball around well, but it was the visitors who fashioned the first shot on goal - Sutherland latching on to a Weatherley through ball but his shot was well saved. At the other end visiting keeper Balkwill matched his opposite number by making an equally impressive save to ensure the first period ended goalless.
The visitors made the breakthrough early in the second period, Sutherland chasing down a seemingly lost cause, robbing the keeper on the edge of the box and laying the ball back for the impressive Knight to slam home from 20 yards. Bath levelled as a result of a good crossfield pass allowing Anderson to finish low into the bottom corner.
Gloucester took control in the third period and created chance after chance but were unable to finish until Pinkney won the ball and fed Sutherland who slotted past the keeper. The lead lasted just one minute as a long clearance found Cronin in acres of space and he fired past Balkwill. At the other end Sutherland, Butcher and the hard working Mason all created chances but were unable to take them.
Gloucester were more wasteful in front of goal in the fourth period and should have been out of sight as Mason, Williams, Collins and Sutherland all worked hard to maintain the visitors’ dominance. Sutherland gave the Yellows the lead for the third time but yet again the home side were allowed the opportunity to regain parity within a minute. The final eight minutes of the encounter though saw the game disappear completely as the visitors paid for their poor finishing when Bath regained the ascendency to net four times without reply to give the eventual score line a rather distorted look.
Gloucester B: Balkwill; Pinkney, Sallis, Collins, Knight, Mason, Elliott, Weatherley, Sutherland. Subs: Butcher, Williams.
Bath started the brighter and were soon passing the ball around well, but it was the visitors who fashioned the first shot on goal - Sutherland latching on to a Weatherley through ball but his shot was well saved. At the other end visiting keeper Balkwill matched his opposite number by making an equally impressive save to ensure the first period ended goalless.
The visitors made the breakthrough early in the second period, Sutherland chasing down a seemingly lost cause, robbing the keeper on the edge of the box and laying the ball back for the impressive Knight to slam home from 20 yards. Bath levelled as a result of a good crossfield pass allowing Anderson to finish low into the bottom corner.
Gloucester took control in the third period and created chance after chance but were unable to finish until Pinkney won the ball and fed Sutherland who slotted past the keeper. The lead lasted just one minute as a long clearance found Cronin in acres of space and he fired past Balkwill. At the other end Sutherland, Butcher and the hard working Mason all created chances but were unable to take them.
Gloucester were more wasteful in front of goal in the fourth period and should have been out of sight as Mason, Williams, Collins and Sutherland all worked hard to maintain the visitors’ dominance. Sutherland gave the Yellows the lead for the third time but yet again the home side were allowed the opportunity to regain parity within a minute. The final eight minutes of the encounter though saw the game disappear completely as the visitors paid for their poor finishing when Bath regained the ascendency to net four times without reply to give the eventual score line a rather distorted look.
Gloucester B: Balkwill; Pinkney, Sallis, Collins, Knight, Mason, Elliott, Weatherley, Sutherland. Subs: Butcher, Williams.
