Men's Firsts Smash Six Past Rugby & Warks

Leicester started off strongly with an opportunity just outside the D in the first minute. The ball recycled came back to David to open the score tally in the second minute, and the the second came shortly after when Jamie and Karl linked up well in the left hand channel for Mo to get on the end and score, 2-0.

A good transfer and forward movement from Henry to Jamie who hit a great left hand baseline run and fed a cross in for Conor to slot home for his first goal for Leicester City (definite DOTD if he missed it). 3-0

More transfers from Dec, Karl and Mike created space and opportunities in and around the D but going just wide.

Some very untidy tackling started to develop from Rugby and Leicester were unlucky not to be awarded another penalty corner or two. Rugby took advantage in a slight lapse in Leicester pressure to push forward and win their own attacking penalty corner. Henry ran out hard to pressure a mistrap at the top of the D, Spencer logged as the ball went to the left post and miraculously bounced off for Paul to clear the ball up the right hand sideline for another Leicester attack.

Sam did an excellent salmon impression, slipping whilst still managing to offload the ball from on his belly!

Paul took one of his characteristic marauding runs from centre-back to deliver a screamer past the back post narrowly missed by Joe desperately hunting for his first goal for Leicester.

Rugby won themselves another penalty corner not long from half time, Henry again ran out well blocking the first shot and Rugby were awarded a second, this time saved well by Spencer in goal.

Half time 3-0, another positive talk- happy the pre-match objectives were being enacted

The second half Leicester again started to dominate, working the ball forward well up the left the ball popped up into a Rugby face off a defensive stick. The slightly dubious decision was given that it was a Rugby free hit and left Paul questioning the umpire- not once, not twice but four times, no change of decision.

With lots more forward chances squandered despite valiant movement and carries from the Midfield and Forward lines, it begun to look like the Leicester pressure was starting to ebb. A strong forward run by a solo Rugby player left Boycie and Spencer in a 2 v 1 situation, Boycie was judged to have pushed the player as Spencer burst out to clear the loose ball, a penalty corner was given and a few protests later was played. Again Henry ran out and charged down two strikes at goal.

Not long after Leicester's tackling took a temporary nosedive as two players drove through 3/4 Leicester players into a 2 v 1 on goal, Spencer logged well to nudge the ball wide and give the Leicester defence time to compose themselves.

Rugby were finally shown a green card and a two-minute player overlap which Rugby defended well. More hard work linking up with the forward line saw Karl have another shot saved on the line by a defender.  A great effort from Joe put the ball into the air and was touched by David going wide, once again some confusion whether he was putting it on target or batting it away from the goal!

Penalty corners followed but went unconverted- flying passed both posts and well defended by Rugby.

Paul took another trip into enemy territory and drew a few nasty tackles to win a short corner. The injection went short to Mike who slapped the ball home for a goal on his debut, 4-0. Finally breaking the second half deadlock the goals started coming with only 10 minutes of the game left. The next goal was a penalty corner touched in by Mo on the right post for his second, 5-0. In a slightly unconventional dog leg routine, Mike slipped the ball back to Karl to push passed the keeper and finish the game 6-0.

Another game dominated by the Leicester work rate and drive to score, a shout out to the midfield and forwards who showed excellent work rate but didn't get themselves on the score sheet for the extra credit. Well done also to the Leicester defence, who organised well to transfer the ball and deal with the skilful and quick Rugby forwards. Credit to the Rugby goalkeeper who kept the scoreline to single figures.

MOTM was awarded to Karl for another dominant performance in midfield and DOTD to Sam for an epic swing and miss in the D shortly after the half-time team talk NOT to do exactly that.

Squad: Spencer Murphy (GK), Conor Baird, Daryl Boyce, David Magill, Declan Shepherd (C), Henry Young, Jamie Sinclair, Joe Collins (debut), Karl Taitt, Luke Hardy, Mike Taylor (debut), Paul Lineham and  Sam Lovelace (debut)