Ozanne hat-trick gives Colombians a much-needed buffer

INVESTEC COLOMBIANS' counter-attacking tactics almost backfired on them as they beat the Clubhouse Unwantables 5-3 at Foote's Lane on Saturday. The reigning Investec Men's Division One champions found themselves comfortably 4-0 in the lead at half-time, thanks to their tactic of soaking up UHC's attacks and hitting them on the quick break.

This led to captain TJ Ozanne notching a first half hat-trick.

But the second half was a different story as UHC came out all guns blazing and quickly scored three goals. Colombians added another late on.

'We should have scored more,' said Ozanne.

'We panicked in the second half as we always do. The game plan was to sit back and to hit them quick.

'We should have really changed that for the second half. The problem is that we don't have anyone at the back that can lump the ball up the field and with their players high up the pitch they squeezed us in our '25'.

'But that was the always going to give us a chance to score.'

Ozanne was your archetypal 'fox in the box' as he bagged his three. His first was from the penalty spot after Huw Sharp had been adjudged to stop the ball on the line with his foot.

His second was a drag flick into the roof of the net during open play, but his third was the pick of the bunch, a shot on the half-volley that he absolutely laced past keeper Paul Bullock.

In between his second and third, Sharp was back in the action for the wrong reasons again as he turned in an Ozanne shot into his own goal while trying to get it clear: 4-0 to Colombians at half-time and effectively game over.

But UHC had other ideas as they came out for the second half and immediately suffocated their opponents in their own half, forcing keeper Andy Good pull off a number of fine saves.

The best of which was from an Andy Alford touch that Good parried onto the bar and out of

danger.

UHC's relenting pressure eventually resulted in a goal after Richard Radford was judged to have impeded Matt Bain in a goal-scoring situation.

The Colombians were clearly not happy with umpire Tony Veillard's decision. Nevertheless Rob Newton stepped up and did the honours and the forward was back on the score sheet a few minutes later after his top of the 'D' shot found it's way through Good's feet.

UHC's third goal came courtesy of Bain when the ball was switched to him at a short corner and slotted it into the corner.

Colombians gradually started to get into the swing of things and with five minutes to go Creasey popped up to tap the ball past Bullock.