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Raphoe in ‘seven’th heaven after convincing win over seasiders

Thursday, 2 February 2012

Rodney Bates, Raphoe Hockey Club men’s firsts, goes low to tackle Richard McMillan during their 7-1 home win over Bangor in Senior One on Saturday.

Raphoe 7
Bangor 1

RAPHOE Hockey Club men's firsts entertained Bangor at the Royal School grounds on Saturday and ran out easy 7-1 winners against the team who were only relegated from the Premier League last season.
Raphoe started the game well and within 10 minutes had taken the lead - a strong run down the right hand side and across the byline by Matthew Lecky ended with him winning a short corner and from this set piece he fired the ball past the Bangor keeper.
Five minutes later, Alan Patterson had a reverse stick shot saved by the keeper. Raphoe were attacking in waves at this point and after another
Matthew Lecky run, Richard Patterson just failed to convert his powerful cross at the back post.
Gavin Lecky then scored Raphoe's second goal, sliding in bravely at the back post to convert an excellent defence-splitting cross by Keith Meehan. The half ended 2-0 to Raphoe.
The second half was more one-way traffic and Gavin Lecky scored his second goal of the game with a reverse stick shot which found its way into the goal through the keeper's legs.
Alan Patterson scored Raphoe's fourth goal four minutes later when he got on the end of another Matthew Lecky run and cross.
At this stage Bangor's defence was at sixes and sevens and Alan Patterson should have scored again when Trevor Patterson won the ball off the Bangor centre-back. He crossed to Patterson, who side-stepped the keeper, but with the hard work done he rushed his effort just wide of the target.
Made amends
However, two minutes later he made amends when, from a short corner, his shot was deflected past the keeper by the unfortunate Stephen McClean for his second and Raphoe's fifth goal. Raphoe were then reduced to 10 men when Keith Meehan was 'sinbinned' after he had a rant at the umpire over a couple of decisions he thought should have gone the other way.
With 12 minutes left, Bangor still had not managed to breach the Raphoe rearguard, but at the other end Gavin Lecky completed his hat-trick with another reverse stick shot after being set up by George Patterson.
Bangor did manage to get on the score-sheet with nine minutes left, when Stephen McClean scored from only their second short corner of the game. A minute later Bangor won another short corner, but Rodney Bates sprinted back from the halfway line to nick the ball off Simon Hunter's stick just as he was about to pull the trigger.
Alan Patterson then completed his hat-trick from Raphoe's final short corner in the dying minutes when, like his second goal, Stephen McClean again deflected his shot past the stranded keeper to leave the final score 7-1 to Raphoe. Man of the match for Raphoe was Gavin Lecky. This result keeps Raphoe in second place in the league and with Antrim not playing at the weekend they have now closed the gap at the top to eight points. This Saturday Raphoe travel to bottom of the table Cliftonville with a 2.30pm push- back.
Raphoe: Johnny Rankin, William Kilpatrick, Rodney Bates, William Wauchope, Matthew Lecky, Ian McGonigle (cpt), Alan Patterson, George Patterson, Keith Meehan, Gavin Lecky, Richard Patterson, Trevor Patterson and John Watt.
In other matches featuring club teams, Raphoe seconds lost 4-1 at Lisnagarvey thirds, Raphoe thirds lost at Civil Service thirds and Raphoe fourths lost 6-1 at home to Newry.
Meanwhile, winners of Saturday's 300 Club draw were: 1, Evan Henderson; 2, Clive Johnston; 3, Cecil Jacob.

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