Reading Wildcats away - 8 Mar 2003

Reading's decision to play a zone defence seemed to be paying off in the first quarter. Normally the Purple and Gold attack rip a zone to shreds, but in the first quarter poor ball movement, too many outside shots, and some good goal tending, kept them at bay. Though Purley did score first, at the other end the defence were pressuring too far out, and Reading capitalised on the empty crease area with a good cut and feed to draw level. At the end of the first quarter it was 2-1 to Purley.

In the second quarter Purley put things right. With slick ball movement, the Purple attack probed the Reading defence until they worked a good opening, and were clinical in the finishing. And when the ball did get down the other end Purley's defence was mopping up the ball. With six goals already scored in the quarter Reading reverted to man-on-man defence, but it didn't help much as Purley scored three more to take the half-time score to 11-1.

After that Purley coasted to the win, never really able to capture the excellence of that second quarter. Final score 19-2.

Goals: Tim Richmond 4, Graeme Holland 4, Sam Bugeja 4, Jamie Tasko 2, Ryan Lynch 2, Darren Novell 1, Matt Payne 1, Mike Barrett 1