New rules will speed things up

Sidmouth Hockey Club got the new season underway last Friday with an interclub match between the men's 1st and 2nd teams.

The match was arranged to give the sides an insight into the new rules that have been brought in this season that allow players to play free hits to themselves, a radical change that is likely to revolutionize the way the game is played in the future.

The game was also an opportunity for the new men's 1st team sponsor to come and watch a match.

Adrenalin Games, the paintball site at Crealy, have kindly agreed a sponsor ship deal for the forthcoming season and manager Bret Hallam was happy to take the opportunity to come and see how the game is played.

The deal will see the Adrenalin Games logo emblazoned on the 1st team's shirts and, in return, the side will be using the paintball site for team building exercises.

With pride at stake the match got under way, with the 1sts controlling the play but the 2nds posing a real threat on the break with Alick Russell and Jon Pike showing no respect to their 1st team opponents.

They were happily harassing the defence at every given opportunity.

The self pass rule certainly speeded up the play and was used to great effect by both attacks, but it was the 1sts who broke the deadlock when Dan Devine's clever reverse stick chip left goalkeeper James Tribble stranded.

Divine quickly followed it up with a second before Pike got one back at the other end and then Andrew Welch increased the firsts' lead before the half-time break. Goals continued to flow in the second half and Devine capped a fine performance with a third for himself and the first hat-trick of the season to leave the final score 6-3 to the 1st team, a result that everyone can be satisfied with.

The club would like to thank Andy Harvey, one of the top Devon umpires and club umpire Rob Cann who were happy to give up their time to umpire the match and also for their help and advice about the new rules.