Local League: Milton Keynes 7 – 3 Cambridge Uni Eagles

First ever fixture in the new East Anglia Local League, and MK’s first win of the new season. The “Local Leagues” are a parallel competition alongside the main “SEMLA League”. Local league divisions cover smaller geographies than those in the SEMLA League. Milton Keynes in East Anglia Division 2 alongside Cambridge Uni Eagle, Uni of East Anglia and Hitchin A.

The Cambridge students made their way over to the Stantonbury Campus astro on a very warm but windy October afternoon. Too windy in fact for the lacrosse goals that had to be secured with kit bags to stop them blowing away.

It was not error-free lacrosse from either team. Cambridge were fielding a number of freshers in their squad and with that in mind they should be very happy with their performance. Saturday Local League lacrosse gives the University teams the benefit of extra competitive games outside the Wednesday BUCS competition. That’s one of the many reasons Local Leagues have been introduced into the SEMLA calendar this season.

On MK debut, and his first ever lacrosse game was Kyle #21. Also on MK debut, but not his first game by any stretch was goalie Eliot Pugh. Eliot is a very welcome addition to the squad who has moved up to the area with work. Not only is he an experienced field lacrosse goalie, he’s also an England indoor/box lacrosse goalie with World and European Championship experience with the national team. Eliot played as expected; solid with superb ball distribution and game awareness. Two of the Cambridge goals were bang into the corners so no fault there. Just one goal would of annoyed with an initial shot blocked by deflected off his legs back into the goal. A man-of-the-match performance if not for Paul Nichols.

Paul, playing only his 3rd competitive 10-a-side game, has now turned into an up-and-down midfield general. In defence he was strong and doing all the right things. In midfield he battled. In attack he was reliable in passing and catching plus now has developed a couple of dodging moves. Whilst he did not score, he came very close.

A quick shout to another inexperienced midfield player, Will Nelson. He took a big hit early in the game as he turned into an on-coming Cambridge player. He showed he’s got what it takes as after 5 minutes recovery on the sidelines, he was back out into the action.

MK goals from 5 different players was very pleasing. Less pleasing were two injuries. Brett (who opened the MK scoring with a beauty) rolled his ankle late in the game and Matt finished the game holding a leg. Let’s hope both have minor niggles that rest and ice can fix before next Saturday.

Captain Corey Jamieson was awarded the D-of-the-day award for a five second period of play where he had three close-range shots on the Cambridge goal and still didn’t score. The first his the pipe, almost directly back into his stick. The second bounced back off the goalie’s chest. The third was put down low and came back off the goalie’s feet. Fantastic from the Cambridge goalie. A shocker from Corey (but he did score eventually later in the game).

Game Stats
7:3 (2:0, 3:1, 3:3, 7:3)
MK Man-to-the-Match: Paul Nichols
MK D-of-the-Day: Corey Jamieson

MK Scorers
#10 Toby Jeffries x 3
#35 Brett Satchell
#29 Matt Sawyer
#69 Corey Jamieson
#88 Jack Gambrill