-A Thrilling Draw! ?

Chard 3rd XI and Minehead 3rd XI served up a festive cracker of a field hockey match yesterday, ending in an exhilarating 3-3 draw!
First Half: Evenly Matched Battle
Chard started the game with composure, though they were immediately tested. Goalkeeper Tony kept the scores level early on with a fine, sharp save. Despite this strong defensive effort, Minehead managed to take the lead when a lucky deflection just managed to sneak past the keeper's hand.
Chard's fantastic spirit shone through as they kept themselves firmly in the contest. The pressure eventually paid off with a well-worked attacking move. Following good build-up play into the D, Nathan showed great vision to slip the ball to Cheffy, who fired home the equaliser to bring Chard back onto level terms.
* Half-Time Score: Chard 1 - 1 Minehead

Second Half: Chard Dominates, Minehead Counters
The second half saw Chard lift their performance significantly, showcasing excellent teamwork. The interplay between the midfield and the front three was a joy to watch, with Ben Berryman at the heart of most of the moves, delivering a fantastic display that drove the team forward.
This attacking prowess was matched by complete commitment in defence. Paul Sainsbury and Nigel Parris were rocks at the back, providing very accurate and powerful clearances to relieve pressure. However, against the run of play, Minehead scored a fortunate second goal to take the lead once more.

Chard's response was swift and relentless. With the team applying constant pressure, an equaliser seemed inevitable. The highlight of this period was an attacking run from Nigel (yes, the defender!) who burst into the opposition D, leaving opposition players in his wake!
The second goal arrived shortly after, stemming from excellent work inside the D before Nathan Bradshaw showed a cool head and fired a fine finish into the corner.

Minehead desperately tried to regain the momentum, forcing a series of short corners, but Chard's defence held firm. The pick of the defensive efforts was Simon’s brave block on the post, denying a certain goal.
With time ticking down, Chard broke free. A fine pass from Alfie sliced through the Minehead defence, setting up Cheffy who finished clinically, smashing the ball into the top corner to make it 3-2!

Tragically, Chard were very unfortunate not to claim the victory. After battling incredibly hard and working brilliantly as a team, a scrappy goal slipped in during the last two minutes, making the final score 3 -3.

A truly great effort from everyone involved and a brilliant, high-intensity way to finish before the Christmas break!