Match Report Hockey: EHL Premier League play off (mens 1st)
Fixture: Team Bath Buccaneers v Canterbury
Date: Saturday 31 March 2012
Score: TBB 3-5 Canterbury
Venue: Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre
Team Bath Buccaneers have left themselves with a real job to do having lost their opening play-off encounter with Canterbury on Saturday.
Jody Paul’s side went down 5-3 at Bisham Abbey to their opponents who were champions of the East Conference this year.
Buccs, missing their Welsh contingent of Matt Ruxton and Lewis Prosser, started well and went in front when Johnny Kinder despatched a fine reverse stick effort in the third minute.
Buccs then lost their discipline and Canterbury took advantage as their opponents were reduced to ten players.
The Kent side struck three times in a devastating 12 minute spell to leave Buccs two goals adrift at half time.
Tim Davenport reduced the arrears when he lobbed the ball over the advancing Canterbury keeper just three minutes into the second half, but a further lack of discipline led to more players in the sin bin and this cost Buccs again.
Matthew Burton-Bowen restored Canterbury’s two goal cushion in the 57th minute, only for Phil Ball to fire Buccs back within a goal seconds later.
Buccs pushed hard for an equaliser but were eventually undone with two minutes to go when Michael Farrer flicked low past Bailey to kill any hopes of a Bath fight-back.
Buccs must now win both of their remaining games at Cannock in two weeks time to have any realistic chance of achieving promotion to the Premier League.
First up they will face Exeter University who lost 1-0 to Buccs’ final play-off opponents, Brooklands on Saturday
