Senior Flags 09 - Brooklands

On Saturday Rochdale Lacrosse Club showed their commitment to Rochdale Councils Link 4 Life aims that Community Clubs and Schools should work closer together. The team moved away from their home grass pitches at Redbrook and entertained Brooklands at the 3G Astra Turf pitch at Matthew Moss School in the 1st round of the Senior Flags Cup.

Rochdale were still reeling from a comprehensive beating at the hands of Brooklands in the league two weeks earlier and needed to improve every aspect of their game if they were to overturn what are proving to be a Nemisis team.

An aggravated shoulder injury during the warm up saw England mid-fielder and Rochdale powerhouse Neil Marshall pull out of the game and dealt Rochdale its first of s series of injury blows. Marshall on the bench raised Brooklands hopes as they quickly pounded Rochdale keeper Matty Croney with 9 shots in the first quarter. Chris Summers put Brooklands ahead with a well worked drive from behind goal Rob Triplett followed up with an individual effort. In reply England attack man Glenn Humphries switched positions with Rob Nugent and ripped one into the net after driving from the top.

Rochdale knew they needed to possess the ball and wait for high percentage shooting opportunities to present themselves. David Bamford was cruelly denied his first goal of the season when officials failed to spot the ball crossing the goal line by a foot before hitting a weight which threw the ball back out. As Rochdale remonstrated Brooklands broke at speed and Rob Tripplet again punished Rochdale to take the score to 3-1.

Poor discipline and impetulance saw Rochdale struggle with themselves. Goal keeper Matty Croney was stripped of the ball during a clearance by Tom O'Donnell who scored on an open net. Brooklands Paul Simpson took a brace of goals in the 2nd that saw Matty Croney rightly benched for two minutes for abusing team mates and officials. Brooklands bagged five goals in the second.

In reply Rochdale had one or two players who kept their heads and started to grind out individual wins. Faceman James Aayrton won five from six face offs to give Rochdale possession. Ben Mitchell in defense repeatedly bullied and controlled Brooklands attack and Rob Nugent switched between Midfield and Attack with consummate ease.

American Mark Leonard was having his greatest game of the season as a longstick midfielder. He managed to knock down a clearing ball from Brooklands goal keeper which he immediately fed to Joe Longley who slammed the ball back in the Brooklands net. Mark again managed to strip the ball deep in the Rochdale half. He spotted Brooklands keeper Maz Hassan was miles out of position and put the ball in the back of the goal from 60 meters.

Leonard was victim to a strong two man challenge after once more using his speed and athleticism to beat Brooklands defense. The challenge saw him out for the game. Aayrton although massively dominant in face also aggravated an old injury and Rochdale bench was starting to look like a field hospital. Half time score Brooklands 7 Rochdale 4.

Neil Marshall rose from the bench like the giant of a man an kitted up. Brooklands response was visible as they feared the threat. Marshall on the pitch meant Brooklands had to change their defense strategy. The put their best longsticks on Marshall, Nicky Watson and Humphries leaving big spaces for other players to capitalise on.

Nicky Watson was awesome in attack, The true surface could have been designed for his agile cutting and dodging game. Time and time again he stripped Brooklands longpole Andy Baxter scoring two personal goals in the third quarter and feeding countless more shots.

Rochdale sensed a comeback as they settled into well rehearsed drills. They possessed the ball for long periods of time and moved with quality and accuracy. Brooklands had no reply and Matthew Nugent who played his first game as a short stick used skill and experience to exploit spaces Rochdales rotation developed. Mat Nugent made two top class feeds onto the crease one of which Joe Longley was more than happy to stick away. Rochdale took 12 shots on Brooklands in the third scoring 3 times. In reply Brooklands only managed 2 shots which keeper Matty Croney was able to scoop up. Three-quarter time Rochdale 7 and Brooklands 7.

Poor light had no effect on the game as the Matthew Moss pitch was floodlit. Rochdale pushed ahead holding the ball for long periods of the quarter. Nicky Watson fed the ball first to Rob Nugent then to Glen Humphries to secure a win over Brooklands in what was a nail biting finally to a match that saw Rochdale at their consummate best and self destroying worst.

Thanks again to Matthew Moss School for the use of the facilities.

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