HOCKEYIW 2, Haslemere 5
THE pressure is on for the IW after this home loss against Haslemere.
Tomorrow’s (Saturday) clash with fellow strugglers Havant is all the more important as the Islanders strive to remain in the top flight of Hampshire hockey.
Third-placed Haslemere put in a disciplined performance to defeat the IW, taking the lead through a drag flick penalty.
However, the IW fired back with an outstanding individual goal from Steve Johnston, who beat two defenders and unleashed a shot from the top of the circle.
Moments later, Tom Young gave the home side the lead and the hope of an unlikely victory but an injury to defender Louis Heaven-Gandy was to prove to be the start of the IW downfall.
In the second half, Haslemere played an exceptionally disciplined style, putting all players in their own half and electing to counter attack.
Void of ideas, the Island kept pressing forward and were caught on the break on four occasions for four goals.
Late on the Island looked to have scored from a penalty corner when Andy Graham put in a rebound from Steve Johnston’s drag flick, but the ball was deemed to have come off the outside of the goal and so the game ended 5-2.
IW: Bruce, Heaven-Gandy, Butt, Allen, Wood, Finney, Woodford, Young, Simmonds, Graham, Liddiard, Johnston .
Hamble 5, IW 2
HAMBLE gave the IW the tough encounter that was expected, taking an early 2-0 lead.
A quick re-shuffle of the IW pack seemed to settle the game down, and enable the IW to get a foothold in the game.
They pulled a goal back when Andy Graham deflected in a shot from Tom Young, following a penalty corner but in the second half, Hamble scored three unanswered goals, with Young sin-binned for dissent.
James Liddiard scored a late consolation.
IW: Bruce, Allen, Heaven-Gandy, Butt, Wood, Gordon, Woodford, Simmonds, Young, Johnston, Liddiard, Graham.