Vagrants soul searching after loss to Division One strugglers (From Crewe Guardian)

Vagrants soul searching after loss to Division One strugglers

3:05pm Thursday 17th November 2011 in More sport

Crewe Vagrants 4 City of Manchester 5

CREWE Vagrants will be doing some soul searching after this defeat, which saw them become the victims of National Hockey League Division One strugglers City of Manchester’s first win of the season.

A leaky defence was to blame as Vagrants whipped in four goals, but they will still want a more clinical edge when apporaching penalty corners.

They will hope that cutting edge is on display when on the road at Whitley Bay and Tynemouth on Saturday, push off 12.30pm.

City shot into an early lead after only four minutes, immediately putting Vagrants on to the back foot.

Two threatening Crewe attacks went begging as the hosts looked to restore parity, but the breakthrouugh didn't come until 13 minutes in, when Phil Bowen converted a corner to make it 1-1.

Two more corners in quick succession saw the home side take the lead, Chris Regan firing Vagrants 2-1 ahead with a trademark drag-flick, but the lead lasted all of a few minutes as City slotted in from close range.

Four minutes later, they were ahead again, a fast solo break leading to a corner, which they converted to make it 3-2.

Manchester were pinning the hosts into their own half as the break approached, consolidating their lead when they slammed home from close range to make it 4-2 at the turnaround.

City maintained their seige after the break, missing three consecutive corners before making sure with the fourth, stretching their lead to three with plenty of the game remaining.

But Crewe will be proud of their response, tightening up their defence and fighting back with two goals before the final whistle.

Goals from Cornell and Bowen meant they only needed one more goal to earn a point, but their wastefulness from corners ultimately cost them as they failed to drag themselves level in a frantic final 10 minutes.