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It’s been a long time coming and the months have gone by, the leaves have fallen from the trees and threatened to regrow. The days got shorter and then started to get longer and the Blackpool captain waited and waited. The arctic winds of a frozen tundra blew from the north and on a cold day at the beginning of March it happened. Blackpool arrived at the Belle Vue sports arena looking forward to playing on a pitch that played host to the Commonwealth Games in 2002. The squad of Blakemore, Gettings, Abbott, Lester, Joe & Jack Boniface, Kieron & Liam Morrow, Woodman, Pasqualino, Wright, Mortimer and Morgan all looked sharp during the warm up but found themselves 1-0 down after fifteen minutes and playing hockey like a division 10 team. Even at half time after Morgan had slipped two tap ins under the keeper, the captain was not the most happy person in Manchester.
After the break the squad of players came out blazing and in the end played quality possession hockey against a very demoralised side. Morgan scored 5, Mortimer 2, Liam Morrow 1 and Kieron Morrow scoring the League goal of the season. Had the cameras been there it would surely have made the evening news. Having worked the ball from their own D Blackpool passed beautifully and worked steadily up the pitch. Then drawing the ball back into their own half a decisive move from Morrow saw the ball played out wide and back into the charging run. The ball was moved at pace and never leaving the captain’s stick put several opposition players on the floor before he slotted the ball in the far right corner of the goal. Play was then held up as the goal was changed because the back board had been broken into several pieces with the ferocity of the strike. The opposition applauded the goal and several members of the team said it was the best goal they had ever seen.
Next week sees Blackburn return to Stanley Park and everyone is looking for more of the same.
© Kieron Morrow 07/03/05