Keeper Webb performs heroics for hockey team (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Keeper Webb performs heroics for hockey team

DESPITE the heroics of Dave Webb in the Cirencester goal on Saturday, the home side slumped to a second successive loss, relinquishing top spot in North Division 1 to visitors Newent.

Newent looked stronger at the start and it was left to Webb to keep them at bay.

A sublime save from a flicked short corner, followed by a penalty flick save low to his left, kept the scores even.

Town, dogged by injuries and the lure of the ski slopes, were slow from the off and found it difficult to string together a coherent sequence of passes.

However, the home side took the lead against the run of play, with their own penalty stroke, despatched with some aplomb by Charlie Paine high to the keeper's right.

The hosts' injury woes were compounded when left-back John Partridge left the field with a broken finger, an injury that will see him sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Newent continued to exploit their rivals' disarray, but chance after chance went begging, mainly thanks to Webb's fine performance between the posts.

With half-time looming, the visitors were awarded a second penalty flick which Webb was unable to keep out.

Cirencester, buoyed by stirring words from coach Paul Anstee and captain John Tasker, began the second half brightly.

Even so, the normally sharp finishing of Charlie Paine and Simon Dicker was, like the previous week, still missing.

Numerous chances to take the lead went begging and Town were to pay dearly for this.

When Newent cleared the ball upfield, it was picked up on the top of the D by defender Andy McGrath. Due to pressure by Newent forwards, he mistimed a pass-back across the D which was intercepted, leaving Webb stranded in no-man's land.

With the home side pressing, a side-line ball awarded to Cirencester was overturned by the umpires. Quick thinking by the visitors resulted in Webb being out-numbered by opposing forwards.

But Cirencester grabbed a second goal from a short corner with Sean Collins firing home.

Despite more heroics from Webb, the home side couldn't cope with Newent defenders coming through the middle and the visitors scored three more goals for a deserved 6-2 win.

Despite those six goals, man of the match went unanimously to Dave Webb for keeping the score down to single figures!

There is now only one point between the top five in North Division 1. With Town having to play the three teams below them, the next few weeks will determine whether or not they get that much desired Premiership status for next season.