Jan 19 2012 by Alec Doyle, Flintshire Chronicle
NORTHOP Hall 3rds were the only team to survive the freeze as the rest of the club’s sides saw their games called off at the last minute.
Even the thirds had disruption however as their North West Hockey League Division Seven South match against Sale 2nds was moved from frozen Hawarden High School to Buckley, the only pitch in the county that was playable.
On arrival, the pitch markings were too feint to see, a problem remedied with a couple of bags of flour.
Once everything was set up, Hall started well, keeping the visitors pinned down in their own 25-yard area for the first 10 minutes.
Sale found their feet after a while and started to pass their way out.
Eventually Sale fought their way through and managed to scramble a reverse high flick into the very top corner of the goal, to take a 1-0 lead.
A few movements later another scramble, a partial save from centre back James Dawson, then the same from right back Ian Taylor and keeper Niall Hurst were not enough as Sale forced another shot over the line.
Trailing at the break, a rousing talk from sweeper Del Sheafer sent Hall back out with purpose.
Hall began creating chances and from a short corner, Adam Kenworthy calmly flicked over the keeper’s prone leg pad to make it 2-1.
That was how it finished, but it was an improvement on the 11-0 thrashing Hall received at Sale in October.