Leeds Adel M2 vs Stokesley M1 (A) - 5-6 (W)

Date: Saturday 10th October 2026

MOM: J Atha & C Baptist

Goals: C Baptist x2, J Atha x2, D Clarke, J Crack

LEEDS ADEL 5–6 STOKESLEY HC

The Salamanders Rise from the Dead in an 11-Goal Thriller!

Leeds Adel 5–6 Stokesley HC | Yorkshire & North East League

Stokesley travelled to Leeds Adel on Saturday for what was already shaping up to be an early-season relegation six-pointer. With Adel the only team sitting below the Salamanders in the league, nothing short of three points would do if Stokesley were to kick-start their season.

Preparations were far from ideal, with Stokesley starting with just 11 players and Jack Atha missing kick-off after heroically travelling from London that morning. Fresh from a Westlife concert the night before, Jack had swapped Flying Without Wings for sitting on a train from London to Leeds, determined not to miss the action.

As for the opening five minutes, your reporter cannot confirm exactly what happened, having only just arrived himself. However, by the time Jack arrived, it was already 1–1. Leeds had taken an early lead before Craig Baptist produced an Özil-esque chip to bring Stokesley level. A moment of pure class, apparently.

The first half was a soggy affair. With rain hammering down, Stokesley struggled to string passes together, control the ball or, at times, remember how to play hockey. Leeds looked the sharper side and deservedly went into the break 2–1 ahead.

A stirring half-time team talk from the Stokesley leadership had the lads fired up, full of belief and ready to turn the game around.

Naturally, Leeds scored again.

3–1. Brilliant.

With nothing left to lose, Stokesley abandoned all defensive responsibility and went into full attack mode. The high press was on, the intensity lifted, and suddenly the Salamanders remembered they could actually play hockey.

Jude Crack started the comeback with an absolute rocket from a penalty corner. 3–2. Game on.

Moments later, Jack Atha popped up to fire Stokesley level at 3–3. The comeback was complete!

For approximately two minutes.

Leeds promptly scored again. 4–3.

But Stokesley refused to lie down. Craig Baptist grabbed his second of the afternoon to make it 4–4, and the away bench erupted.

Surely now we'd settle down and take control?

Absolutely not.

Leeds counterattacked and scored again. 5–4.

At this point, defending had become entirely optional for both teams, and the match had descended into something resembling a Sunday morning five-a-side game.

Wave after wave of Stokesley pressure eventually paid off when skipper Dawson Clarke stepped up at a penalty corner and unleashed a vicious strike to make it 5–5.

Then came the moment we'd all been waiting for.

Dawson Clarke, clearly deciding that scoring wasn't enough, produced an outrageous through ball to pick out Jack Atha in the circle. Jack showed nerves of steel, calmly slotting the ball underneath the keeper.

6–5 STOKESLEY! FOR THE FIRST TIME ALL AFTERNOON, WE WERE AHEAD!

The Salamanders were flying.

There was even time for Jack to nearly complete his hat-trick, only for young Craig Baptist to intervene. Despite several desperate shouts of "LEAVE IT!", Craig decided to get involved, somehow managing to deny Jack both his hat-trick and what would undoubtedly have been the goal of the season.

A valuable learning experience for young Craig, who at his age still has plenty of time to understand the concept of leaving the ball alone.

With the clock ticking down, Stokesley looked set to claim a famous victory.

But this is Stokesley Hockey Club. Nothing is ever that simple.

In the dying moments, Leeds broke through on goal, only for goalkeeper Marcus Brown to bring down the attacker.

PENALTY FLICK.

With seconds remaining, Leeds had the chance to make it 6–6 and snatch two points away from Stokesley.

Up stepped the Leeds striker.

Up stepped Marcus Brown.

The whistle blew. The striker fired low and hard towards the corner...

SAVED!!!

MARCUS BROWN, YOU ABSOLUTE BEAUTY!

A sensational diving save low to his left kept Stokesley's slender lead intact and sent the Salamanders into absolute pandemonium.

The final few minutes felt like an eternity, but somehow, some way, Stokesley held on.

FULL TIME: LEEDS ADEL 5–6 STOKESLEY HC

An absolutely ridiculous game of hockey. Eleven goals, multiple comebacks, a missed hat-trick opportunity, a last-gasp penalty save and, most importantly, three enormous points heading back up north.

Was it pretty? Absolutely not.

Was it good for the blood pressure? Definitely not.

Was it entertaining? Unbelievably.

The Salamanders have finally got their season up and running, and if this is anything to go by, it's going to be one hell of a ride.

JOINT MEN OF THE MATCH: Jack Atha & Craig Baptist – two goals apiece and both instrumental in dragging Stokesley over the line. Although Craig's questionable decision-making in front of goal almost cost Jack his hat-trick, the pair were deservedly recognised for their performances.

HERO OF THE DAY: Marcus Brown – from villain to hero in a matter of seconds. A match-winning penalty save that deserves its own statue outside Stokesley Sports Club.

SPECIAL MENTION: Westlife – clearly the secret to Jack Atha's goalscoring form.

DOTD: Jack Atha – despite scoring twice, travelling halfway across the country and picking up joint Man of the Match, Jack somehow also managed to walk away with the prestigious Dick of the Day award.

And as club tradition dictates, the unfortunate recipient must write the match report.

So yes, after a morning on a train, 70 minutes of chaos, two goals, three points and a penalty shootout's worth of stress, Jack now finds himself spending his Sunday writing about it all.

Some might say it's a harsh punishment for a match-winning performance.

Others might say it's thoroughly deserved.

UP THE SALAMANDERS!

Next game: Stokesley M1 vs Rotherham M1 - HOME