Awesome Foursome Puts Edge in the Corner

If you've been following or playing for the 4s this season then you'd know that this sort of performance and result was always going to happen at some point. The question was "Would it arrive before Christmas ?" The answer against Edgbaston was an emphatic "Yes".
And so it was that a performance packed with composure, commitment and (of course) a bagful of goals, saw M4 run out comfortable winners in the penultimate game of 2014.
Sils were disciplined from the outset, moving the ball effectively on the water-based astroturf pitch, and creating a number of early chances. However, it was Edgbaston who took the lead after 10 minutes, with a well-taken goal that was squeezed through the Sils defence. M4 responded swiftly, and equalised following an excellent piece of counter-attacking play, involving Munemo and Rush, who crossed into the D where Matt Lyons netted from close range.
As the half progressed Sils looked increasingly dangerous, whether down the left with Harris, through the centre with Rush, or down the right with Lyons. The home side too, showed that they were capable of retaking the lead, forcing two short corners, and shots that the defence dealt with effectively.
With 10 minutes left in the first half, Sils took the lead when Andy Rush bagged his first goal of the match following a well-worked move that ended with him sweeping the ball into the net past a helpless Edgabston defence.
Despite holding a 2-1 lead at the interval, Sils knew that they needed to up their game in the second half to be sure of taking the points home. An inspiring teamtalk from "Pyscho" Bates, full of motivation and interspersed with just a couple of "hairdryer moments", made sure that Sils went into the second half full of confidence but not complacency. Passion, possession, purpose and shape were just some of the reasons why Sils outperformed their opponents for the whole of the second half. (Oh, and a couple of belting goals from short corners as well!). Andy Jackman, M4's Wizard of Oz, showed that Australians can play hockey when he injected a short corner, played a neat 1-2 with Andy Rush and powered the ball into the net. Shortly afterwards, Sils scored from another short corner when Andy Rush fired the ball past the opposition keeper from the top of the D.
Even at 4-1 Sils refused to let up, continuing to outwork and outplay Edgbaston. Andy Rush missed out on a hat-trick when it was deemed that he hit the ball just outside the D, and Sils had other chances to increase their lead, but were unable to add to their tally.
This was one of those games where every member of the team deserved praise for the part that they played, but what was most interesting after the game was that the talk was about the workrate, cohesion and effectiveness of the team as a unit, for all rather than some of the 70 minutes.
The mid-season break may not come at the best time for M4, but all are agreed that we are playing some very good hockey, and enjoying it.