The Belper Dev8s welcomed the North Notts development team for their second meeting of the season with memories of Alan’s 80th birthday cake still fresh in their minds. It was a good thing that they had something to take their minds off the foul weather.
In good development hockey style, our team was bolstered by some new faces and it was a pleasure to welcome Blake and to see Peter joining Max on the pitch. We also welcomed Steve and Will who recognised a few of the North Notts players from a match earlier in the day.
The game started with Belper in control and the scoring was opened early by Steve with the first of his pair, a strong shot into the corner of the goal. Theo made an excellent attacking run to get on the end of a beauty of a pass and slotted calmly thought the approaching keepers legs. Oliver joined the action with a goal mouth scramble and Will added a pair, the second of which was an unstoppable beaut that is rumoured to have been a pass back to Max but ended up top bins courtesy of a defenders stick. North Notts made a couple of attacking forrays, the first was met with some skillful glove-work from Steve who nobly donned the keepers kit as Dan responded to higher callings, the second was a well struck cross from outside the D that found a glorious edge of an attacking stick within the D to put a smile back on the North Notts faces.
In the end there were smiles all around with another game enjoyed by all and topped off with fine food and cake.
The joy of tripping your league points in a single game should not be a joy saved for Christmas, but this year we will gladly celebrate.