BEESTON HEAD THE TABLE

CANNOCK  2  -  8  BEESTON 

Beeston blasted their way to the top of the MHL Premiership with a massive 8-2 victory away at Cannock. In the opening match of the League season Beeston gave league debuts to Craig Boyne, Simon Egerton, Tim Lewis and Joe Sharp and the thoroughness of pre-season preparations saw them fully integrated into the Beeston style of play.

Beeston went into a 5th minute lead when Simon Egerton dispatched the Bees 2nd penalty corner. The lead was increased in the 16th minute with a move started by David Ames and executed by left half, Mark Wadsley, on the far post. Cannock pulled one back in the 25th minute through Nick Bandurak. A  brilliant save from Beeston goalkeeper, Ashley Watson in the 28th minute foiled the equaliser. This seemed to rile the Bees and Simon Egerton collected his second following a sensational move which involved Martin Jones running, weaving and twisting his way from the half- way line. Egerton completed his first half hat trick in the 30th minute when Stuart Pilgrim found him with a right wing pass.

Beeston put the result to bed four minutes after half time when Egerton added to his tally, firing in his fourth goal, with a penalty corner flick to make the score 5-1.

Australian, Craig Boyne, now picked up the challenge. His brace of penalty corners in the 58th and 61st minute took the score to 7-1 before Cannock’s David Beckett pulled one back for the Staffordshire side, with a 63rd minute penalty corner.  

Beeston pushed on, and five minutes from time, Martin Jones finished off a pass from Simon Egerton to give the Bees an amazing 8-2 away victory.

Simon Egerton, who hit 4 goals on his Beeston league debut, commented, “To come to Cannock and win by such a huge margin is a superb start to the new campaign and confirms our intentions for the season. The squad is highly focused and we still have another few gears to go.  At times today we were awesome.”

Beeston, return to Highfields, where the meet Canterbury, on Sunday 23rd September, 2.00 start. Canterbury also gained 3 points on the opening day with an impressive 4-2 win over Manchester based, Brooklands.

Captain, David Ames, projected forward to Sunday’s game. “It was fantastic to see so many Beeston supporters at Cannock for the opener. We are expecting a good crowd for the Canterbury home match. This is a chance to see a great match and a powerful Beeston squad in action.”