Men's 1s vs Leeds Adel 1

Stockton: 5

Leeds Adel: 1

Despite missing three of their top players, a good win for the men’s first sees them climb to second in the Premier League. 

Visitors Leeds Adel have yet to secure a win in the league this season (after a very tough start) and looked determined to change that in the early stages. Dan Stewart (DRB Security) and Adam Warnes (KLW Management) at the rear finding themselves under pressure.

Stockton had another gear to go into though. Fantastic interplay between Patrick Atkinson (Atkinson Build) and Ed Beak (Scott Bailey PGA) highlighted Stockton’s threat. Jack Addison (Yarm Sports & Physio Clinic) and Jake Leader making similar dangerous in-roads into the visitors territory. Ten minutes in Billy Merifield (Lapoel Travel) broke the deadlock rounding the keeper and scoring. 

This seemed to chip away at the Adel confidence, Stockton started to dominate earning a series of penalty corners. Merifield tucking away a drag-flick for his second.

Two moments of discipline gave Adel hope as Stockton were forced to spend time with ten men on the field thanks to the sin-bin. Thankfully skipper James Tompkinson (ANI Estates) and mercurial midfielder Max Mowbray saw out the time with some tough tackling and some skilful game management respectively. 

Will Ferguson (fresh from a temporary suspension) made it three when he pounced on a rebounded shot from Beak and slotted home just before half time.

Merifield looked a constant threat in the second period and secured his hat-trick soon after the break. Warnes found him with a huge aerial ball and he left the keeper no chance when he skilfully navigate around him to score into an empty net.

Adel were awarded a penalty stroke in odd circumstances which seemed to spark some discussion and raise the temperature of the match a little. The wonderful Adam Turner (Yarm Distillery) in the Stockton net unable to stop the set piece despite a series of saves beforehand.

Stockton are made of sterner stuff than to allow teams to capitalise. Merifield finding himself pockets of space with which to hit opponents on the break. His blistering pace saw him once again beat the keeper for his fourth.

Then came the drama of the final stages. Warnes found himself in a tussle with a visiting forward who then reacted off the ball aggressively - seeing him hit the sin bin, Warnes’s reaction earned him the same punishment and more after an extensive outburst. Captain Tompkinson and Vice-Captain Addison also both managed to receive yellow cards for attempting to provide clarity in the confusion - judged as further dissent by both umpires. This left Stockton with only eight men on the field and seven minutes to play.

Manager Molyneux (Atha Construction) desperately reshuffled to minimise any potential damage. Mowbray stepped up to the mark, running down the clock with a series of mazy runs which should have earned far more than they did when Mowbray was repeatedly fouled in dangerous areas. 

Time ticked away and Stockton secured a priceless victory. The premier league race is on! 

Man of the Match: Billy Merifield sponsored by Lapoel Travel