Stone 6, Evesham 1

DESPITE travelling to North Staffordshire full of confidence, Evesham were well beaten in Saturday's Coaching Solutions West Midlands Premier League clash.

The game started badly after ten minutes when the visitors lost captain Martin Husbands with a broken hand.

This incident set the tone for the rest of the game as the home side proved physical and uncompromising in defence, refusing to allow the visitors any time or space on the ball.

Evesham started brightly, maintaining possession and showing a desire to play expansive hockey. However, the tactics of the home side frustrated the visitors as they had very little space - particularly in midfield - to create scoring opportunities.

By contrast, Stone hit on the break using the pace and power of their forwards to good effect and every time the home side attacked there was space for scoring opportunities.

By half-time, that cou-nter-attacking style had been rewarded with three goals - two of them courtesy of soft as defensive errors.

The visitors continued to play possession hockey without really threatening the home side's goal.

Miles Harris and Stuart Bearcroft showed plenty of spirit in attack without much reward, while Ben Brown was given too little ball with which to make his pace tell.

Mark Brown linked well with Harris on a number of occasions and, when Stone were adjudged to have illegally stopped a shot at goal, Chris Perry put the penalty stroke high and wide.

This gave the hosts a further boost while denting Evesham's confidence and more sloppy defending gifted more goals before a consolation from the hard working Harris.

Husbands said after the match: "It's very disappointing to have had so much possession and create so few chances.

"We've gifted them goals today while getting easily frustrated while in possession. Their tactics worked for them and we didn't respond well. We certainly need to play smarter hockey."

Evesham will be looking to regain their composure and form against Stratford at Evesham High School on Saturday (1.30pm).