A great game from our boys, who should be very proud of how they played and managed to stay competitive until the last few minutes, despite a challenging start that saw them trailing 2-0 after just 3 minutes.
Marlow began with incredible speed and intensity, catching Cirencester off guard, and scored from a powerful drag flicked penalty corner within 30 seconds of the game starting. Marlow's intensity never waned, and they added a second goal a few minutes later. Over the remainder of the first half, Cirencester began to adapt to the speed, precision, and movement of the Marlow team. Some incredible goal-line defending, heroics by Jack, driving runs by Ed, and an amazing deflection by Dylan F saw us concede just one further goal as we went into halftime.
Cirencester started the second half brightly, fighting hard against a clearly well-drilled Marlow team who exhibited excellent teamwork and coordination, evidenced by their numerous triangles and blind passes. Cirencester then shocked Marlow with a scrambled goal from Will Lambert. With Marlow momentarily rattled, their composure faltered, and they started losing players to cards. During this period, Cirencester managed to earn several penalty corners, which unfortunately we could not convert. Then, with 10 minutes remaining, Marlow secured a fourth goal.
Credit to the Cirencester team, as their heads never dropped. They continued fighting hard with determination, and a couple of great saves from Jack kept the score at 4-1 until near the end. In the last two minutes, however, three rapid-fire goals made the scoreline much more flattering to Marlow.
Overall, a valiant effort from Cirencester, showcasing their resilience, fighting spirit, hockey skill and ability to lift their level over the course of the game.