Lockey Bullet Fires WBTHC To Home Win

WBTHC 1s entertained newly promoted Gateshead in their first home game of the season. After letting a lead slip in their opening game, they hoped for a more complete display this week.

The game started in a scrappy fashion with both teams giving the ball away cheaply. WBTHC looked to move the ball quickly from defence but struggled to link up the midfield and attack effectively. Matthew Dobison came off the bench and was unlucky not to opening the scoring with a debut goal as his drag flick was brilliantly tipped onto the post by the Gateshead keeper. Sadly that was the only real notable incident of the first half, apart from a yellow card for James Redpath for a stick tackle on a Gateshead defender.

The 2nd half started much brighter as the home team increased the tempo and started to find the passes, which they couldn’t quite manage in the opening half. Gateshead were on the back foot, but defended well for large periods, managing to keep any clear cut chances to a minimum. Finally WBTHC possession paid off and a neat ball through a Gateshead defenders legs was latched onto by Alex Lockey, who was brought down in the area to win a penalty flick. John Wood calmly dispatched, giving the home team a well-deserved lead. The goal gave the home team renewed energy as they pushed for the killer second goal. Now WBTHC started to play with confidence and style, passing the ball around, maintaining possession and making chances by good attacking play down both lines. Gateshead did manage to win 2 penalty corners on the break, but Fotheringham and Hayes were more than up to the task and expertly saved each to maintain their team’s clean sheet.

Gateshead quickly began to tire as they desperately tried to keep out the waves of home attacks. Finally after several clear cut chances the pressure told in the final 10 minutes as Alex Lockey killed the game with a deadly curving bullet, low into the corner from the top of the area, finishing off a superb team move.

A good second half performance from WBTHC, who with more clinical finishing should have ran out more handsome winners.

Man of the Match: A.Belshire
Goals – J.Wood, A.Lockey