The South team came away with the bragging rights after they won the first North vs South box lacrosse game 8-5 on Sunday (15 March).
Due to the current situation and government advice, the game was played behind closed doors at the Midlands Roller Arena, Lutterworth, but that didn’t stop the game being played at breakneck speed and with suitable aggression.
It always looked like the South team’s game to lose, however, as they took an early 3-0 lead through goals from Austin Holgate, Rob Holmes, and England international, Gavin Abrahamson.
A goal from Jamie Powell and a brace from Tom Bracegirdle in the second quarter saw the team made up from players from the south of England go in 6-2 ahead at half-time.
During the final two quarters, the North team came into their own and were able to keep the South team largely at bay.
England forward, Matt Marsh, who scored eight goals at last year’s World Indoor Lacrosse Championships, including four in the narrow defeat to the USA in the bronze medal game, scored three goals without reply at the end of the fourth to make sure the South team had to work hard for their victory.
The match may well have been even closer if it hadn’t been for some world class saves from England international goal-keeper, Eliot Pugh, in the South team’s net.
In a tense final few minutes, he managed to keep out Marsh as well as Josh Simpson Pink to keep the score at 8-5 and ensure the South team got the victory over the line.
This game marks the first in a series of North vs South box lacrosse matches as England search for players and prepare for the 2021 European Box Lacrosse Championships.
All being well, the second North vs South battle will take place on Saturday 9th May with the third a week later on Saturday 16th May (both in Sheffield).
You can keep up to date with the North vs South games and everything box lacrosse by following England Lacrosse, England Box Lacrosse, Northern Box Lacrosse, and Southern Box Lacrosse on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
You can watch the first North vs South game in full by clicking the button below:
North Team
Goalkeeper
Isaac Tweedale (Timperley)
Defence
Matt Tatton (Brooklands)
Will Allsop (Brooklands)
Jamie Sutton (Manchester Waconians)
Andy Ellison (Heaton Mersey)
Tom Hallam ( Mellor)
Oli Roberson (Mellor)
Chris Wainer (Heaton Mersey)
Transition
Jason Erwin (Brooklands)
Eliot Leonard (Norbury)
Attack
Dom Fitzgerald (Manchester Waconians)
Cai Jefferies (Heaton Mersey)
Sam Patterson (Stockport)
Josh Simpson Pink (Mellor)
Ollie Allsop (Brooklands)
Dave Groves (Stockport)
Matt Marsh (c) (Mellor)
Coach
Andy Downing
South Team
Goalkeeper
Eliot Pugh (Milton Keynes)
Ben Stowe (Welwyn Warriors)
Defence
Chris Hockey (Spencer)
Peter Shepherd (Camden Capybaras)
Albert Whitehead (Spencer)
Corey Jamieson (Milton Keynes)
Tom Roche (c) (Mellor)
Taylor Harrison (Spencer)
Transition
Austin Holgate (Camden Capybaras)
Gavin Abrahamson ( London Raptors)
Ben Stringer (Hillcroft)
Tom Bracegirdle (Spencer)
Attack
Ben Buchanan (Spencer)
Rob Holmes (Spencer)
Jamie Powell (Unattached)
Pete Wilson (Bristol Bombers)
Sam Perry (Hitchin)
Ben Colville (London Raptors
Coach
David Leach
Alan Keeley
Officials: Michael Leahy & Rob Clark.