Abingdon 1st XI 3, Winchester 1st XI 8

Abingdon started brightly, scoring first through a well-executed penalty corner that showcased their strength in set pieces. However, the away side responded with three quick goals, from Rory Jack, Ben Hibberd and Charlie Harrigan, turning the game on its head with sharp attacking play. Just before halftime, the home side pulled one back to make it 3-2, keeping the match finely poised.

Early in the second half, the home team found an equalizer within the first 10 minutes, sparking hope among the home crowd. However, this seemed to awaken the away side, who responded with a scintillating attacking display. The response started with James Pawleys line breaking distribution who consistently found Man of the Match Jonah Graham effortlessly gliding through the Abingdon defence. In a devastating 20-minute spell, they scored five unanswered goals, displaying precision and creativity that overwhelmed the home defence. This led to Winchester earning 2 penalty flicks in quick succession, calmly converted by Hibberd and Captain Nick Clark. Rob Craddock also securing a well deserved brace. A surging run from Mark Maunsell was rewarded with the final goal of the game firing the ball into the bottom left corner. 

Despite the home team’s continued threat from penalty corners, they couldn’t capitalise on their opportunities, leaving the away side to celebrate a commanding 8-3 victory.