Following last week’s frustrating 1-1 draw with Whitchurch in Cardiff Havant approached this week’s return to Cardiff to play Cardiff University in a determined mood, to ensure they stayed in touch with the league leaders Team Bath at the end of the first half of the season.

Havant started the match brightly and put Cardiff under pressure without breaking through despite a Penalty corner which Jon Smedley failed to convert. Cardiff weathered the Havant storm and grew in confidence as they matched Havant in one to one contests. Havant failed to match Cardiff’s work rate and their defence was being pulled out of position by some energetic forward play, which resulted in Cardiff’s number 9 Dafydd Tomos  slamming home a close range shot past Havant’s goal keeper Andy Isaacs near post to make the  score 1-0 in the 23^rd minute.

Havant responded well and raised their game to make some good moves down their right flank and just 3 minutes after the Cardiff goal Havant’s Sunny Singh brought the score back to 1-1. Having beaten 2 players Sunny found himself at the top of the Cardiff D with time and space to spare which allowed him to pick his spot to put his reverse strike past Cardiff’s goal keeper Ben Dudley.

Halftime came and Havant’s coach Merijn Van Wellen reemphasised some key points, the most important the necessity to compete with Cardiff’s work rate whilst maintaining their composure. Much to the disappointment of their loyal band of supporters Havant failed to raise their game to the level required they found themselves under pressure for long periods of the second half. Cardiff’s second goal came in rather controversial circumstances and it was Havant’s goalkeeper Andy Isaacs who was adjudged to have pushed Cardiff's Dafydd Tomos as Tomos attempted to take the ball past Isaacs. After both umpires conferred the penalty stroke decision was upheld and Tomos duly converted the stroke to make the score 2-1 in the 65^th minute. Whilst Havant did raise their game in the last five minutes they were unable to get to get the goal, which in all honesty they did not deserve.

So it was a long minibus trip back along the M4 to Havant giving the squad time to consider what is required for the second half of the season, if they are to make a challenge on the top of the table.