PENARTH Hockey Club's Veterans XI continue to put competitive minutes under their belt in preparation for another crack at the prestigious Welsh Masters title in June.

Although results have not necessarily gone the way of the Vale side since the start of their season in early April, each successive performance has shown signs of improvement, with the best showing yet coming in a last minute defeat to a younger Gwent side on Saturday.

Penarth Vets 3- Gwent Vets 4

Gwent became just the second veterans side to visit Penarth’s new home at Stanwell School, but were only able to do so after calling on some ‘under-age’ talent to make up the numbers, while Penarth welcomed back a couple of ‘old’ faces as well as giving newcomer Andrew Strong a second run-out following his debut in the recent triangular tournament against Swansea and Grays of Cambridge.

Despite the opposition holding a supposed age advantage in midfield, it was Penarth who began the stronger, finally employing captain Nick Pratt’s longed-for passing game to create both space and scoring opportunities. Sporadic Gwent forays aside, the home team held the upper hand for much of the opening half, with Marc Sawyer eventually finishing off a slick passing move that began in defence and involved Graeme Jones and Mark Robinson before returnee Adam Morse supplied the final ball to the far post.

Having gone ahead, Penarth continued to play with confidence, and quickly added a second as Craig Llewellyn fired home an improvised penalty corner, but were fortunate to take to their two-goal advantage into the interval as Gwent had one goal disallowed and were denied a couple more times by guest goalkeeper Andy Cox.

The visitors were not to be denied, however, and in true Europa League fashion, pulled a goal back within a minute of the restart, Penarth being caught napping in midfield and short-handed at the back as Gwent halved the deficit. Spurred on by their early success, the visitors kept up the pressure on Penarth’s goal and, despite the heroics of Cox between the sticks, quickly pulled level as the hosts were again found wanting in the middle of the park.

Penarth were not going to go quietly and, perhaps stung by losing what appeared to be a firm grip on the game, pressed forward with Rob Harrison joining Robinson and Strong in orchestrating the play from midfield. After Strong had twice gone close, the home side finally retook the lead as Dave Watkins produced a trademark finish, but again had to withstand renewed Gwent pressure from the restart.

Despite Penarth centre back Simon Wilkinson leading a stout defensive effort that kept the visitors at bay for some time, the resistance could not last forever, and the scores were soon levelled again as the home side began feeling the effects of their earlier efforts. Not for the first time, the Vale side then proved unable to see the game through to a shared conclusion, allowing Gwent a half chance that, with just a minute left on the clock, was to prove decisive in a 4-3 scoreline.

The encounter with Gwent was just the latest in a run of fixtures for the veterans side as they continue to build up to next month’s Welsh Masters competition in Swansea.

Although two midweek games were lost to unforeseen circumstances, the side has already taken on old foe Whitchurch as well as taking part in a three-way contest hosted by Swansea and featuring touring side Grays of Cambridge as they made their first appearance in Wales.

The 1-4 scoreline against Whitchurch did not reflect the balance of play on the night as a Penarth side missing several key players, including both central defenders from April’s heroic scrap with Cardiff, gave as good as they got until it came to putting the ball in the net.

The triangular tournament proved to be another matter, however, with the opening day’s fixtures against both Swansea and Grays both resulting in heavy defeats for the Vale club. Once again, the scorelines did not necessarily reflect the part that Penarth played in both games, but got out of hand as the high weekend temperatures began to take their toll.

The Grizzlies returned to play Grays for a second time on Sunday morning, and produced a much improved performance despite both sides having enjoyed themselves in Swansea the night before. Having held out defensively for much of the first half, Penarth eventually fell a goal behind, but equalised almost immediately as Tyrone Moore took the restart and produced a mazy dribble into the heart of the Grays’ ‘D’ before unleashing an unstoppable shot past a startled ‘keeper.

Losing Moore to a hamstring injury before the interval robbed Penarth of some creativity in midfield, but the effort never waned and, having fallen behind for a second time, the Vale side again drew level through Watkins. As in the Cardiff game, however, an honourable draw was not to be as Grays converted a late penalty corner to snatch the winner with three minutes to play.

The Veterans will keep on packing in the matches before the Masters event, with scheduled return fixtures against Whitchurch and Cardiff being followed by a rare encounter with foreign opposition as they take on Dutch tourists Alliance at Sophia Gardens on Sunday, June 12.

Penarth Hockey Club always welcomes new, old and returning players, umpires, supporters, friends and helpers regardless of age and ability. Training takes place on Wednesdays at Stanwell School, with the juniors on the pitch between 6.15pm and 7.15pm and the seniors between 7.15pm and 8.15pm.

Anyone interested in joining the club at senior or youth level can contact either player-coach Ben Croxall (b_croxall20@yahoo.co.uk) or club secretary Dave Stevens (d_stevens81@hotmail.co.uk) for further information.