First defeat for Eastcote

HOCKEY

EASTCOTE Hockey Club men fell to a first defeat of the season on Saturday as they lost 3-1 to local rivals OMTs in a game they could have won.

Instead, a George Smith hat-trick for the visitors ensured it was they who took the points, with only a Gabriel Emery reply for the Boars.

The following day, Eastcote took on Oxford in round one of the EHL Trophy, losing 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in normal time.

Emery put Eastcote ahead, only for spurned chances to allow Oxford to come back and take the lead, and while captain Peter Brookes equalised for Eastcote with five minutes left, the penalty shoot-out went Oxford’s way.

Meanwhile, the quickly improving ladies side drew 3-3 with Southgate 2nds in a seesaw game where the lead changed hands four times, leaving Eastcote disappointed not to take all three points.

Southgate opened the scoring, only for a brace from youth product Phillippa Jones to give Eastcote a 2-1 lead into half time.

Southgate then equalised from a well worked short corner, only for Catherine Ashton to slam home a firm shot from a rebound and a win looked on the cards, but Southgate would not lie down and equalised again, while a final flourish from Eastcote was not enough.