Hockey: City of Manchester Mens 0 - 9 Rochdale Mens Seconds

Rochdale Men’s Hockey Seconds

Karl Wynn and Dean Close were missing for Rochdale's return clash against City of Manchester on Saturday, but Rochdale prevailed to take the win comfortably.

Graham Broadley, who was stepped up as temporary captain, had a lot to live up to.

He had clearly done his homework, using the wealth of experience of Imran Ansari in the centre of midfield and surrounding him with the youth and pace of Luke Rosebury, George Rogers and Peter Ransome.

The tactic paid dividends right from the off, as the three young midfielders, accompanied by Bjorne Brauns and Broadley himself up front, pressed high and hard.

Manchester struggled to get the ball out of their own half and each time they did, it fell to Ansari, whose skill on the ball bought him all the time he needed to feed the strikers at will.

By half time Broadley had scored a hat-trick and Brauns had also got on the score sheet. 

Manchester did have a couple of attacks in the first half, but on each  occasion Robinson was clinical and gave nothing away.

Another barrage of goals came in the second half and with Rochdale 8-0 to the good, they were awarded a penalty flick.

Up stepped 16-year-old Peter Ransome and showing no nerves he calmly put the flick away.

Dave Jackson, usually confined to the back four, managed a short cameo appearance up front for the last 10 minutes and was unlucky when he hit the post.

Broadley said after the game: "It was a privilege to captain the guys, everything I asked they did. Ansari was able to do what he does best, and that was down to the other guys around him putting in 110%. George Rogers was fully deserving of the Atticus Promotions man-of-the-match."