Pelicans return to winning ways

Pelicans returned home with a big win from one of their longest journeys of the season at second-bottom Upminster.The team went into the game hoping for an upturn in their fortunes from recent weeks.The first fifteen minutes of the game saw those hopes falter as their hosts started fast and found themselves 2-0 up via two unfortunate deflections from Pelicans sticks.A slight tweak to the formation and a bit of a wake-up call saw Pelicans grab a foothold in the game.Firstly a chance fell to Toby Phillips who placed a lob over the onrushing goalkeeper but also the crossbar.Kirwin Christoffels, however, who found himself in the thick of the action as always scored with a fabulous reverse stick finish after being played through by Sam Phillips to half the deficit at half-time.By this point, it was clear that Pelicans were much the better side and any real attacking threat the home side fizzled out and seemingly pushed the self-destruct button. They equalised early in the second half through Toby Phillips whose well-struck shot on the turn hammered the backboard. They took the lead through Jack Major, fresh from warm weather training in Australia over Christmas and getting the final touch on another Phillips goal-bound effort.Phillips then scored again to make it 4-2 and he owed it to a brilliant run and pass from brother and captain Sam.Upminster tried their best to trouble Pelicans, but Sam Major, Jason Esser and Iain Page remained solid. They were ably assisted by those in front of them. Chris Page, Christoffels, Ollie Booth and Ian Simmons whose superior skill and fitness were key in the game being turned around.Captain Sam Phillips wasn’t to be denied and added his name to the scoresheet from a well-worked penalty corner, this was quickly followed by a consolation goal from the home side with a penalty corner of their own to give themselves a bit of hope. The hope was very quickly extinguished as Pelicans scored a sixth and final goal through Major again after a fine driving run from Jacob Craig and a superb reverse stick pass gave Major the chance to deflect into the goal to complete a superb comeback.On Saturday they face another long journey as they make their longest away fixture of the season at Old Southendians.Pelicans MoM sponsored by 4Way: Toby Phillips