Pre-Season: Milton Keynes 6 – 6 City of Stoke

The first pre-season game leading into the 2017/18 league season saw Milton Keynes draw 6-6 with the visitors from City of Stoke Lacrosse Club.

The MK men in green always held a narrow lead but with only a few minutes left in the game, and leading 6-5, they gave Stoke numerous chances to level the scores. With 20 seconds left, Stoke finally penetrated the human shield that was Nathan Villiers to end the game in a fair draw with both team taking positives from the game.

On game debut for MK today were Tom Becque and James ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson and these two are very welcome assets to the squad this season. Three guest players joined us for the game, Kyle, Matthew and John. All have been regulars at summer training. Kyle heads back to Lincoln Uni after the summer. Matthew and John will be playing for Welwyn once the season proper starts.

Two big positives from the game were organisation and conditioning (fitness). The defence was well organised. Coaching instructions from training are now becoming second nature. Stoke found no easy routes to goal. Unforced errors were minimal and only two technical fouls all game (both for offside). Everyone got a severe fitness workout. Whilst players from both teams tired near the end it all bodes well for the new season in September. Continued summer training plus two pre-season events in September; the Bath 8’s tournament and the Spencer Day tournament; should see us hit the ground running come the season opening game against London University.

Man-of-the-match was a unanimous vote for goalie Nathan Villiers. His shot/save ratio was superb and his clearing faultless. Fingers cross he can take this form into the new season. D-of-the-day went to Jack Gambrill so various acts of silliness.

MK Squad

Goal
#7 Nathan Villiers

Defence
#3 Aaron Day
#6 Matthew Man (Welwyn)
#15 George Bascom

Midfield
#1 Kyle MacQueen (Lincoln)
#5 Ben Amos
#8 Alex Parker
#12 Corey Jamieson
#17 John Horbury (Welwyn) – 2 goals
#21 James Hutchinson

Attack
#4 Tom Becque – 1 goal
#16 Chris Webborn – 2 goals
#88 Jack Gambrill – 1 goal

Referees
Rob Gooch
Claire Stewart