2 Goals In 2 Minutes Spare Burgh Blushes

At the start of the season every member of the Edinburgh University Hockey Club looks at the fixture list to find the day when all their respective teams play at the home of hockey, Peffermill. Halloween was that day.
The 2’s were the first to commence battle in what felt more like a party atmosphere than a competitive hockey game at times. The Burgh keeper, Sam Trett, setting the tone when during the pre-match warm up he shouted over to the bench for them to “Get the music on”. However, once the game got going it was obvious that Edinburgh were not just plotting what outfit to don at Potterow later, but that they were set on beating their opponents, Watsonians in this Central League 1 match.
Neil McNiven started the good work early on, hassling a defender into keeping the ball in play in the far corner of the pitch. McNiven then won the ball and provided the perfect cross for an unmarked James Styles, however, the forward blazed over the bar from little more than 3 yards.
Styles did not let this get to him though, as he used his speed and upper body strength to dominate the Watsonian back line. And it was Styles who then turned provider, crossing the ball into the D only for Ally Wood to provide the perfect air-shot, much to the amusement of the on looking crowd.
Edinburgh looked comfortable yet failed to finish off the chances they created for themselves, yet 20 minutes in Edinburgh were 1-0 up. Styles hit the post, and James Toogood was there to slot the ball home into the bottom corner.
Watsonians rallied themselves slightly, and both sides created more chances before half-time arrived, yet due mainly to some fine goalkeeping from both keepers the game remained at 1-0.
Edinburgh were very slow out of the blocks and the away side capitalise on their sloppy and lackadaisical play, leaving Burgh rueing the missed opportunities to extend their lead earlier in the match. Watsonians received a penalty corner and duly dispatched the ball into the goal, making the score 1-1.
Yet, Edinburgh did not let this worry them. On their first attack of the second half, they were awarded a penalty corner also. It certainly was not as pretty as the Watsonian’s, yet the result was the same, as Styles eventually bundled home the ball after a lengthy goalmouth scramble.
Calamity then struck as Watsonians played a long ball forward out from their defence. Sam Trett came wildly out of his goal but failed to clear the ball effectively, leaving the Watsonian forward to run past the stranded keeper and pass the ball into the open net to draw the teams level once more.
The game looked lightly to remain at this score yet with 4 minutes left on the clock Edinburgh received another penalty corner for a raised stick from an opponent. Michael Henderson-Sowerby shot at goal and the ball rebounded at the feet of McNiven, who stroked the ball home to the delight of the crowd.
Burgh then clinched victory 2 minutes later when Watsonians found themselves susceptible to a quick counter attack. The ball reached Wood, who flicked the ball into the path of McNiven, who fired on target. The keeper pulled off a fine save, however Toogood was on hand once again to tap the ball home and secure all three points for the 2s.
It was a deserving result for a team that looked in control more often than not. However failure to finish chances and a slow start to the second half had made things difficult, but those two goals in the last 4 minutes meant that Edinburgh by-passed the opportunity of drawing and instead saved their blushed allowing them to go out celebrating a 4-2 victory.