M1's miss out on EH Cup QF place

The M1's entertained the University of Birmingham on Sunday in the round of last 16 in the EH Cup.  With the students lying third in the National League Conference, the level that the M1's aspire to play at next season, Hawks knew that they would have to up their game from Saturday.  But the students started brightly and managed the ball well, taking the lead on seventeen minutes from a follow up penalty corner after the initial shot had been blocked.  The first half was generally an even affair with both sides creating, and failing to take, chances.

The second half was a slightly different story, with Hawks in the ascendancy and looking a goal threat on several occasions.  Will Heywood brought the scores level ten minutes into the second half, but Hawks were made to rue several missed chances to take the lead when the students went 2-1 up from open play with ten minutes remaining.  Hawks continued to press and with five minutes left on the clock forced a penalty corner which Jack Biggs converted following a neat interplay with Andy Watts.  Despite continued pressure, Hawks couldn’t find a winner and so it was left to the vagaries of a penalty shoot-out to decide the quarter final place.  Regrettably for Hawks, the shoot-out went to sudden death and the students prevailed.  Although a game they could have won, Hawks were encouraged by a good performance ahead of the more important league matters that lay await in the next six weeks.

Thanks to Clive Jones for the excellent photos.