Hockey: St Helens Men’s Firsts 6 v 3 Rochdale Men’s Seconds

Rochdale Men’s Hockey Seconds Man of the Match, Aaron Hunter

Rochdale Men’s Seconds travelled to 2nd place St Helens in a much-anticipated match. However going into the match, the first team and the second team were having to mix and match players due to an injury crisis.

Within the first few minutes Rochdale showed why they were currently sitting at the top of the table with some excellent forays into the opposition half and working it well into the opposition's D creating a couple of chances. There was beautiful link up play between Aaron Hunter, Dean Close and Graham Broadley who with successive one touch hockey played it clean around the St Helens defence to give them the lead.

However, St Helens were not going to be unsettled by this, especially with being a top team within the division and managed to respond in turn not long after to make it 1 - 1.

If Rochdale had learnt anything this season it was that there were going to be more goals coming their way and there was with Broadley scoring one, his first of the campaign after being the highest goal scorer last year, and a second for Hunter after brother, Kieran, had taken a shot and he took the rebound to make the score 1 - 3.

Rochdale had to endure a lot in the way of pressure in the first half after giving themselves a healthy lead with the St Helens team managing to hit the post several times and a brilliant stick save from goal keeper Brian Robinson, who had already made some truly remarkable saves.

However, half time would be the undoing of the Rochdale team as they conceded some early penalty corners at the start of the second half and they lacked shape allowing St Helens into the game. They didn’t need inviting twice and before Rochdale were aware of what happened it was all level.

The next ten minutes would be tough for Rochdale who were now looking to hold St Helens to a draw, as all hope of scoring a goal was starting to fade quickly.

Sensing this, St Helens quickly and efficiently killed off the game scoring three more times to hand Rochdale their first and only defeat to date, something that was a bitter pill for them to swallow.

Captain Dean Close said: "Today was always going to be a tough game with both teams looking to be on form and at the top of the table.

"Rochdale won the first half while St Helens won the second half. They played well, and the game was hard fought and was deserving of a top of the league fight."

The Flying Horse Man of the Match, Aaron Hunter.