Off the back of a tough previous week this fixture was expected to also be a bit of a bruising encounter.

Old Willies arrived in something of a scattered fashion and the home side recognised a need to focus their minds on ensuring they would play a good game with complete focus.

Within the opening 10 minutes, Gravesham and Wellcome 2s would smell blood and go and find themselves 3-0 up.
An electric start saw an early short corner and chance fall to Captain Aaron Elliott who was unable to convert a back post pass.

Some exquisite hockey saw a passing manoeuvre that felt like it went through half the team starting with centre back Rich Atwood before one touch passes culminated with Elliott nailing a through-ball for Harley Moss running on to who would take it wide and score from a tight angle.

Moments later another short corner and a saved shot from Jordan Jenkins would fall to Steve Caulfield following in after his injection as he fired the ball hard into the roof of the next over the stranded keeper.
And to wrap up the opening salvo more exquisite play this time from Caulfield to find Moss for his second of the game.

More chances would fall to Andy Simpson, Elliott, Caulfield and Jenkins but nothing would quite come off and as Old Willies became disgruntled the game began to feel like it would descend into something very different.

At half time the message was to keep up the pressure, to avoid getting involved in any funniness with Old Willies and that more goals would come.

The second half was a little more end to end as Old Willies changed the nature of the game in looking for technical fouls and the earlier flow of things seemed lost.

Dan Stapley did well to make a few saves at the back and would eventually hold on to his clean sheet.

Further chances were created for the home side with Elliott and Simpson missing while Elliott would also hit the post with the keeper spreadeagled. Moss went close to his hat trick before a passing move involving Caulfield and Jenkins found Elliott who laid it off for Simpson to score their fourth goal.

What in places had seen some truly incredible hockey wound up being a tricky game that the Gravesham side were happy to come away from with a clean sheet, 3 points and an all round good result.

The opportunities and threat that this team are able to fashion, from multiple parts of the pitch, is an exciting prospect indeed.