Hockey: Sam Harris hat-trick highlight of back-to-back Adel win

Another difficult game was ahead of them last weekend with the visit to the War Memorial of Marton Furness.

Adel knew they needed to start strongly and make a statement to the visitors – preferably with some early goals. And start strongly they did, winning the initial midfield battles. Captain,James Stroomer, has a habit of leading from the front, and this game was no exception as, after a short corner was awarded to the home side. Stroomer was on hand to force the ball under the keeper’s body and evade the defender who had stayed on the line, giving Adel their first goal and Stroomer’s third of the season.

Adel were quick to double their lead, as a pacy break from Will Purdy made use of space found down the right side of the field, and a perfectly delivered cross found current top scorer Sam Harris free.

Harris showed why he is such a danger in front of goal as he calmly slipped the ball into the net. Two goals to the good, and Adel very much in control of the match.

The rest of the first half was dominated by the home team, showing great patience in possession and composure in defence with Bell and Powley snuffing out the rare attacks that Marton managed to build.

Adel were clearly the happier of the two sides at the break, but it was clear to all that the next goal would have a massive impact on the game.

Coach Ball’s team talk over with, Adel started the second half with the same aggression and determination they had finished the first. After a counter-attack by the team in orange, ended in a visiting defender making a rash tackle to give away another short, Stroomer was able to double his goals tally for the game. The second was dispatched a little more convincingly than the first, with a flick high to the keeper’s right, which, despite getting a pad to, couldn’t be stopped from crossing the line.

Despite being three down, Marton were not ready to roll over just yet, and they were able to pull one back after a very rare period of sloppy defending from the home side allowed a Marton Furness player to avoid a number of tackles and slide the ball into an empty goal.

This goal could have easily signalled the start of a comeback and had the potential to rattle the home side but, as many teams in previous seasons have found, Adel are at their most dangerous when they concede.

Another quick counter and fast passing play saw Harris net his second to restore the three-goal cushion.

More chances were made but squandered by the truly dominant home side as time slowly ticked away, and it wasn’t until James Moorhouse picked the pocket of a Marton defender that another goal put the polish on a great win. Catching everyone off guard with the tackle, Moorhouse found himself in a one-on-one situation with the keeper, but instead of going for glory, he unselfishly slid the ball to that man Harris, who finished gratefully to claim his hat-trick.

This game took Harris to seven goals in three games and sees him sitting pretty at the top of the league’s scorers’ list.

This Saturday sees Adel make the short journey down the road to play Leeds, in a local derby which is sure to be another classic encounter between these two teams.

It seems like four is the lucky number for Adel Ladies 2s, as the game against the University of Leeds saw the Orange Ladies score four goals for the third week on the trot.

The University didn’t have far to travel to take on Adel, but it would have felt a journey too far against clearly in-form Adle.

Two goals from Steph Bradbeer and one for Laura Pantelli before a goal on her return the Adel fold by Amy Fearn sealed the win.

With only one goal scored against them so far this season, Adel top their league and look in no rush to relinquish their position.

Special mention for game of the week must go to Adel Ladies’ First Team, as four goals in the first half and five in the second meant their journey down the M1 to Rotherham finished in a nine-goal rout, sending a clear message of intent to all future opponents.

Adel results in full: Men’s 1sts 5 Marton Furness 1; Men’s 2nds 4 Wakefield 3; Men’s 3rds 2 Grimsby 4; Men’s 4ths 1 Barnsley 5; Men’s 5ths 0 Airedale 14; Men’s 6ths 3 Worksop 2. Ladies 1sts 9 Rotherham 0; Ladies 2nds 4 University of Leeds 0; Ladies 3rds 3 Wakefield Wanderers 0; Ladies 4ths 2 Otliensians 2; Ladies 5ths 0 Ben Rhydding 3.