Neston South Wirral hockey storm to top of the table

Feb 3 2010 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

Neston South Wirral 5 West Derby2

A SUPERB second half spell from Neston South Wirral, ensured that they moved four points clear at the top of the North West league, as they overcame West Derby 5-2.

In a scrappy opening period, the Parkgate men lacked the creativity to pose serious threat to the visitors goal, and West Derby found themselves two goals in front. Firstly, poor defensive work allowed Gary Roberts to stroll into the circle and flick home, and then Kev Ryan dispatched a penalty corner into the net. Shortly before the break, Lawrence McNeight got the crucial breakthrough for the home side as his reverse stick shot struck the backboards to give Neston a foothold in the game.

After the interval, schoolboy Harry Bush, immediately levelled for Neston, which precipitated a fantastic twenty minutes of hockey from the league leaders. With the enigmatic Mark Donnelly enjoying the freedom of Parkgate, Neston put the visitors to the sword. Donnelly himself, rifled home from a well worked set piece to make it 3-2, and Dan Khedun put the finishing touch to a fine raid down the left to increase the lead. With the visitors run ragged, McNeight bagged his second of the game, following a magnificent flowing move, to cap a great afternoon for Neston.

Neston's Cheshire Plate semi-final at Lymm was a victim of the weather for a second time on Sunday. This weekend Neston face a tricky league trip to Formby on Saturday, whilst arguably the big game of the weekend is the second string's 2nd XI National Trophy Quarter Final at home to Chesterfield on Sunday (1pm).