Our M2’s got their season off to a fast start scoring 5 goals after the scores were level at half-time vs a very game Eastcote! With some regulars missing and some new additions to the side it was always going be an interesting test with Eastcote having strengthened since our away visit last season.

It was the visitors who started the fastest; a quickly taken free hit inside the 25 and an unmarked man inside the circle saw Fareham behind within the first 5 minutes. They nearly added a second shortly afterwards had Craig Sims not tracked back to clear an errant shot off the line. However, wasn’t long till Fareham struck back, Cameron Duncan converting after combining with James Seager and Luke Gould!

With 20 minutes gone Fareham took the lead, Nick Knight bundling home a far post pass from Chris Tagg after a penalty corner breakdown. This lead proved not to be decisive as Eastcote levelled with a neatly taken first time finish after a defence splitting pass!

With the second half underway Fareham dominated possession. Hari Raval nearly putting Elvyn Jackson in from the push-back only thwarted by a miss-trapped overhead pass. But the deadlock didn’t last… Duncan again gave Fareham the impetus adding his second of the game and giving Fareham the lead! A frantic few minutes followed with Ethan Chapman-Sheath having to be at his best in net to deny Eastcote on the counter with some resolute defending from Bobby Toms and Edward Palmer.

Arguably the goal of the day came from Luke Gould; a darting run from the right saw Seager (again the architect) provide him the key pass to deftly apply a deflection past the stranded goalkeeper! Tagg put the finishing touch on the scoreline with a well worked penalty corner to cap off a dominant second half!

‘I was really pleased with our reaction after half-time’ enthused captain Jamie Young ‘We were well aware that we didn’t start the game with the level of intensity that we expect of each other, and the 2nd half was in stark contract to the first. Nevertheless, starting the season with 3 points is exactly what we were looking for!’

With the first win nerves now eased our M2’s travel to Amersham & Chalfont next weekend looking to build on this weeks performance.