Cookstown Hockey Club

Ivan Steen

06/02/2010

Cookstown Hockey Club completed the double over a battling Bangor side at Ballykilaire today in the One1918 Premier League.

The Millar, Shearer and Black sponsored Cookstown dominated the game for the seventy minutes and apart from a defensive error kept the goal threats from the home team at a minimum.

Cookstown had Thomas Hutchinson back in the starting team after nine months and the reds number six can be well pleased with his comeback appearance.

The first half consisted of the away team having the majority of the ball but couldn’t break down a deviant Bangor side who played with determination for the whole game. Gareth Cuddy and Greg Allen came the closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half, and Thomas Hutchinson had a drag flick whistle past the post.

Half time came and the Cookstown management asked the team to keep the intensity in the game and the goals would come.

After five minutes Cookstown broke the deadlock when Gareth Cuddy rounded Tormey in goals to crash in from 9 yards. This was a fine finish from number five, Cookstown had further chances to get the second but they couldn’t beat Tormey who was in fine form. Cookstown then allowed Bangor back in the game through a defensive error.

Bangor had a man sent off and they held out for the ten minutes they were down to ten. They played smart relieving pressure with the use of the long ball into the corner to try and upset the red rhythm .

Cookstown got their third short corner with six minutes left and Ian Hutchinson made no mistake with a fine finish. This killed the game as a competition as Bangor had to come out to try and get something, with this Ivan Steen capped off a final individual performance with a trademark shot from the top of the circle.

Millar, Shear and Black Man of the Match
Ivan Steen