Hamstrung Ravenscroft keeps Colombians in prime position
THINGS are not exactly going to plan for Colombians – they are actually going much better than that.
Their aim at the start of this latest Men’s Division One title defence was just try to stay in contention for the first half of the season while key men Zak Damarell and Sam Dawes are away travelling and Andrew Dawson-Ball is sidelined through injury.
Now it looks as though that trio will return with their team sitting pretty at the top of the table, probably with a healthy lead.
It speaks volumes for Colombians as a unit that they picked up this crucial 5-2 victory over their old rivals on Saturday with the bare XI in their match-day squad, 10 of whom were watching on anxiously in the fifth minute when Tim Ravenscroft attempted to accelerate away from an opponent and pulled up clutching his hamstring.
It restricted one of their best players to a limited role up front, yet Ravenscroft turned out to be pivotal to this success with two goals and a couple of assists, epitomising a side in which every man knows his role and does it efficiently for the cause.
How different the story might have been if Steve Waldrom had converted a penalty stroke midway through the first half rather than hit the post when Indies were already a goal ahead, one can only guess.
But the fact that Colombians went straight up the other end and equalised resulted in a huge momentum shift that proved decisive.
Waldrom had broken the deadlock with a wonder strike on 11min. when a venomous reverse-stick strike from the edge of the D rocketed into the top corner giving his island teammate Jake Le Marchant no chance.
The Colombians goalkeeper did manage to save the next fierce Waldrom shot as the forward enjoyed an outstanding first quarter and it was his neat stick work that led to the penalty, but once that hit the frame of the goal, the tide turned.
Hamish Glass slotted home the equaliser after Ravenscroft’s ball into the D was only half blocked and then a superb team goal involving TJ Ozanne, Liam Ozanne, Ravenscroft and Glass concluded in the latter scoring his second to give the yellows a 2-1 half-time lead.
In the 40th minute, Ozanne thumped home at a short-corner to double the advantage, but 10 minutes later Max Sharpe diverted in Waldrom’s low drag flick to boost Indies hopes of their own comeback.
They had further short-corner chances, but they came to nothing and they were made to pay.
With five minutes remaining as Indies committed men forward, Matt de la Mare’s firm free-hit from the back took a couple of ricochets before Glass collected and slipped in Ravenscroft to score.
A couple of minutes later Ozanne’s direct pass set up Ravenscroft to finish things off in style, which he did with a lovely bit of skill to lift the ball past the onrushing Rob Turville.
