Men’s Masters narrowly miss out on the Finals!

Norton 3-0 Northampton Saints

Saints embarked on the 200 mile trip to Stockton on Tees with a squad decimated by injury, illness and non availabilities (even the opposition were surprised we arrived !!). Saints started brightly and enjoyed much the better chances and territory in the first half and were unlucky not to take a deserved lead when a Pete Ellis bullet into the D was deflected onto the keepers helmet and over the bar. In fact it was against the run of play when Norton scored from a well worked short corner just before the break. Undeterred Saints kept pushing after the break firmly believing there were in the game. Within a space of a few minutes Saints hit the bar, post and missed an open goal – the feeling was that this wasn’t going to be our day. To compound matters Norton broke away and scored a decisive second  10 minutes into the second half. The 12 man Saints squad tired visibily as the second half wore on in the face of the 16 man squad of Norton but even then should have been awarded a stroke as the evergreen Malcom Gray was brought down from behind as he bore down on the keeper. The game then moved into a more aggressive phase with 2 yellow cards for the Saints and 1 for Norton – and in a game that had covered such fine margins Norton secured victory minutes from the end with a 3rd goal that gave a very unflattering look to the scoreline. The last 5 national cup ties that Norton have drawn all of them at home – only 2 opponents have managed to travel with a side – Saints & Huddersfield. A big thank you to the team who undertook the 400 mile round trip yesterday representing the club – the only frustration was a feeling that with an extra player or two the result could have been so different.

Side:-Pete Adey, Jim Phipps, Jason Hillier, Simon Chambers, Pete Ellis, Dan Phillips, Nigel Down, David Rose, Jon Brown, Malcolm Gray, Gary Pedler, Tim Daverson 

Proud Sponsors of Northampton Saints Masters  – TGI Hockey