Wilton Hockey

From the minute the game got underway Wilton took the initiative and, with some pulse-racing passing and movement, piled the pressure on the home team pinning them into their own half.

It wasn't too long before a well worked passage of play from Wilton's own 25 yard line lead to the first goal. Man of the match Johnny Couhig drove the ball through to release Mark Whitworth who dissected the Medics defence. Whitworth slotted the ball to Peter Brewer who finished superbly from the top of the scoring circle.

Mark Whitworth was next to benefit from Wilton's constant attacking pressure netting from close range just before half-time taking the Teessider's into the break with a two-goal lead. The second half was much the same story, the Medics trying to catch Wilton on the break, while Wilton played some infectious, flowing hockey. It wasn't long before hard-working Scott Morton dished out some of his own medicine by making it 3-0.

Newcastle Medics seemed to be running out of ideas until Danny Morgan proceeded to deliver personally to their centre forward resulting in a penalty corner from which they stole their only goal of the game.

However, the game was already Wilton's and with minutes to go the home side made the fatal mistake of leaving captain Peter Elgey unmarked yards from the goal, Elgey directing a pinpoint pass into the far corner to make the final score 4-1.

Wilton seconds faced promotion chasers Newcastle Uni thirds on Saturday. The day didn't start well, with the students having forgotten to book the pitch, delaying the push-back by almost an hour and not being able to provide any changing facilities before the game.

Wilton, unsettled from the long journey and even longer wait outside the ground, were not suprisingly not focused. After being forced to change pitch-side as quickly as possible Wilton's lack of time to get organised showed as they were put under pressure from the off. The students played some quick, precise hockey and forced an unavoidable mistake from Wilton right back Bob Shaw who netted his second goal in two weeks, unfortunately at the wrong end of the pitch.

Wilton battled in vain as they were finding even the simplest passing difficult and nothing seemed to be going right for them. It wasn't too long before they were punished again and the student took a 2-0 advantage into the break.

Captain Mark Nevison tried to instil some calm into the Wilton side at half time but from the minute the whistle went it was clear that his teamtalk had been wasted on some. Wilton did produce some better hockey with glowing performances by Michael Broadway, Alex Harrison and man of the match Matty Hunter. However, it was not enough to conjure up a Wilton goal before they were hit on the break and three goals down.

Keeper Shaun Wallace was later exposed at the back and easily beaten in a one-on-one with the Newcastle Uni striker to make the final score 4-0.

Wilton Ladies had a high scoring game against Darlington Ladies that they really didn't deserve to lose. It was a game of two halves with Darlington having the majority of the play in the first half and taking a 3-0 lead into the break. Wilton came out stronger in the second half, however, and the constant pressure on the Darlington defence was rewarded with a goal from a well-worked penalty corner fired home by Sharon Smith.

Wilton then continued to work hard and pulled another goal back through Christine Blake. Wilton, caught up in chasing the game and relentless attacking, were then caught on the break and Darlington made it 4-2.

However, Wilton never gave up and some excellent individual play from Christine Blake carved out an opening which resulted in another goal.

Wilton kept trying but the final whistle came too soon.