Thunderbolt strike sets tone
K Sports
K Sports men’s 1sts marked the midway point of the Kent Open Premier B season with an 8-3 win over Sevenoaks 6ths.
Ewan Hendry took Ben Newmarch’s pass, skipped over the defender’s trailing stick and beat the keeper with a waist-high thunderbolt for the opener.
Mick Nock doubled the lead from a short corner, Matt Sharp finished a loose ball for 3- 0 and James Dench made it four on his first appearance this season.
Sevenoaks scored twice at the start of the second half but Dave Wood and Nock’s drag flick moved Sports clear, followed by a goal-of-the-season contender from Paul Cook, who flicked the ball over the keeper, ran round his blind side and finished.
Newmarch was rewarded for his tireless running when he beat four defenders and rounded the keeper for Sports’ eighth before the visitors had the final say.
The ladies’ 1sts signed off for Christmas with a 2- 0 win at Herne Bay 2nds in Kent Women’s Division 3.
Player-of-the-match Danni Nichols marshalled a strong defence as Sports weathered early pressure before taking the lead when Morgan Payne’s short corner found Jo Fowler, who struck the ball into the air and hit it on the way down from the top of the D.
They clinched victory in the second half when Becki Austin’s deflected strike from another Payne short corner was finished by Kerry Fowler.
The men’s 2nds enjoyed a 6- 0 win at Burnt Ash in Kent Open Division 4.
They quickly went two goals up and extended their advantage through Luke Boniface at the back post.
Andy Smith set the tone in the second half with some tenacious closing down and he scored the fourth after dropping his shoulder from a short corner and finishing on his reverse stick.
Unbeaten Sports stayed calm as the match became feisty and added two more goals.
Jay O’Shea and Howard Goacher controlled midfield.
K Sports ladies’ 2nds had to abandon their passing game in a 2- 0 defeat by BromBecks in Kent Women’s Division 5.
They were under pressure throughout as the visitors laid siege to their goal, with keeper Lozza Mullaly Sports’ player-of-the-match.