Derby defeat for Valence
Sutton Valence
Sutton Valence felt their 4-1 defeat by Maidstone on Saturday was closer than the scoreline suggests.
The sides are at opposite ends of Kent/Sussex Regional 1 but workmanlike Valence made a game of it.
Maidstone scored twice in the first half, the first a cross from the baseline to an unmarked forward and the second from a short corner.
Man-of-the-match keeper Stewart Young was in good form, though, saving a drag-flick short corner and diving to his right to stop a reverse-stick shot in open play.
Valance didn’t make the most of their chances but pulled a goal back with Alex Stamp’s emphatic finish from a Marcus Bawden cross.
The hosts limited Maidstone again in the second half, Young with another drag-flick save.
But the visitors did manage two more goals, scoring their third from a short corner and the fourth from open play after their centre-half was given a free run into the D.
An own goal saw Valence 2nds beaten 1- 0 at Sevenoaks in Kent Open Premier A.
It came during an end-to-end first half with a shot going in off a Valence defender.
Valence tested the Oaks keeper in the second half but he remained unbeaten.
There were two green cards each, while Sevenoaks’ ill-discipline also led to a pair of yellow cards.
Sutton Valence 3rds beat Cliftonville 10- 0 in Kent Open Premier C.
Chris Sheldon and man-ofthe-match Dylan Queen scored hat-tricks, with Gareth Davies (2), Ben Grabham and Andy Barr also on target.
Both teams played good hockey in the first half, the difference being Valence’s composure in front of goal.
Early goals set the tone and while a young Cliftonville side kept going, they couldn’t beat Stewart Young.
The 4ths had a rare off-day in Kent Open Division 4, losing 1- 0 at Old Williamsonians.
It might have been different had Rob Cockayne finished a one-onone inside a minute but the keeper made a double save.
The only goal came midway through the first half, with OWs finishing the rebound after Chris Back’s initial save. Defender Geoff Bell was named man-of-the-match.
Dave Ewen scored his first goal since returning to hockey after a 35-year retirement as the veterans beat Wimbledonians 2-1 in the Southern Counties Conference.
The match was switched as Wimbledonians’ grass pitch – where they rarely lose – was unplayable.
Valence started well with three chances for Lyndon Davies inside five minutes but the visitors scored against the run of play. Man-of-the- match Ewen’s big moment came in the second half when he equalised with a clean strike.
There were five minutes left when Charlie Worsfold, who’d replaced Ewen, got his stick to Davies’ shot and deflected it past the keeper for the winner.
Hosts Sutton Valence deserved more for their efforts in an under-12 girls tournament.
They’ve been more used to winning this season but managed only one victory from four matches at the prep school on Sunday.
Valence started with a 4- 0 victory thanks to doubles from Sophie Browning and Elyse Ratcliffe.
The second game ended in a 2- 0 defeat by Tunbridge Wells Otters but Valence worked hard and were unlucky not to score, with midfielders Hannah Shibli and Olivia Farrell among those to impress.
The girls’ toughest match was against a much bigger Canterbury Lions side – and they did well to restrict their opponents to a 1- 0 victory.
Valence suffered a couple of injuries – Libby Watkinson was fortunate she was wearing a gum shield after the ball hit her in the face, while Farrell took a whack on the knee.
They dug in and marked well in what was their best performance of the day.
Valence put the Tunbridge Wells Bears keeper under pressure in the final game but couldn’t score and lost 1- 0. Sutton Valence: Hannah Shibli, Libby Watkinson, Isabella Gronow, Elyse Ratcliffe, Anna Kitchen, Sophie Browning, Alice Trought, Elizabeth Penfold, Olivia Farrell.
PWD L F A Ps Surbiton ........ 12 9 2 1 44 26 29 Beeston ........ 11 8 1 2 34 17 25 Reading ........ 11 7 0 4 37 22 21 E Grinstead ... 11 6 1 4 30 25 19 Wimbledon ... 11 5 3 3 28 19 18 Hampstead ... 11 5 2 4 31 19 17 Holcombe ..... 11 5 0 6 26 26 15 Brooklands ... 12 3 1 8 21 34 10 Sevenoaks .... 11 1 1 9 18 43 4 Canterbury .... 11 1 1 9 12 50 4 Results: Canterbury 0 Reading 5, Hampstead & Westminster 1 Wimbledon 3, Beeston 2 Holcombe 0, East Grinstead 2 Brooklands MU 1, Sevenoaks 1 Surbiton 3. Fixtures: Wimbledon v Beeston, Holcombe v East Grindstead, Reading v Sevenoaks, Brooklands MU v Hampstead & Westminster, Surbiton v Canterbury. Eastbourne ... 15 11 2 2 59 21 35 Old Bordens .. 15 10 2 3 50 25 32 Maidstone..... 14 10 0 4 44 22 30 Burnt Ash...... 15 9 3 3 38 31 30 Lewes........... 15 8 1 6 57 46 25 Sevenoak 2... 15 7 4 4 45 36 25 Holcs 1a ....... 14 6 1 7 39 37 19 Brighton 2..... 15 5 4 6 30 35 19 Folkestone .... 15 4 2 9 33 47 14 Worthing ....... 15 3 2 10 28 48 11 Gore Court .... 15 3 1 11 55 72 10 Sutton Val ..... 13 0 2 11 17 75 -1 Results: Brighton & Hove 2nds 2 Burnt Ash 2, Folkestone 0 Eastbourne 4, Gore Court 5 Worthing 2, Holcombe 1a 4 Lewes 3, Sevenoaks 2nds 1 Old Bordenians 1, Sutton Valence 1 Maidstone 4. Fixtures: Burnt Ash v Sutton Valence, Eastbourne v Sevenoaks 2nds, Folkestone v Gore Court, Lewes v Brighton & Hove 2nds, Maidstone v Worthing, Old Bordenians v Holcombe 1a. Wapping ....... 17 11 2 4 35 24 35 Canterbry 2... 15 9 0 6 32 25 27 West Herts .... 15 6 6 3 40 25 24 Sevenoak 2... 16 6 6 4 35 24 24 St Albans 2 ... 15 7 3 5 31 28 24 Camb City 2 .. 16 6 4 6 27 25 22 Camb Uni ...... 17 5 2 10 23 43 17 Norwich Drg . 14 5 0 9 21 32 15 Maidstone..... 17 2 2 13 16 60 8 Old Loughts .. 15 0 1 14 10 40 1 Results: Maidstone 1 Ipswich 6, St Albans 2nds 2 CoP 1, Wapping 2 Norwich Dragons 1, Sevenoaks 2nds 2 Canterbury 2nds 4, Old Loughts 0 Cambridge Uni 1, West Herts 2 Cambridge City 2nds 2. Fixtures: Norwich Dragons v West Herts, CoP v Wapping, Ipswich v St Albans 2nds, Canterbury 2nds v Maidstone, Cambridge City 2nds v Old Loughts, Cambridge Uni v Sevenoaks 2nds. BBHC ............ 15 12 1 2 42 21 37 K Alleyns....... 15 11 3 1 59 23 36 Blackheath ... 15 11 2 2 47 17 35 Old Bordens .. 16 7 3 6 33 29 24 Marden Rus .. 16 8 0 8 31 33 24 Old Willis ...... 15 7 0 8 21 28 21 Maidstone 2.. 16 6 2 8 23 33 20 F’stone Op 2 . 16 6 0 10 32 43 18 Cliftonville ..... 15 4 5 6 34 36 17 Sevenoaks 4 . 15 5 1 9 26 35 16 Canterbury 3 . 15 4 3 8 28 29 15 BromBeck 3 .. 15 1 0 14 12 61 3 Results: Maidstone 2nds 1 Sevenoaks 4ths 1, Folkestone 2nds 2 Kings Alleyns 4, Cliftonville 1 Blackheath & Elthamians 4, Marden Russets 0 Bexleyheath & Belvedere 2, Old Williamsonians 1 Old Bordenians 2, Canterbury 3rds 5 Bromley & Beckenham 3rds 0. Fixtures: Bromley & Beckenham 3rds v Old Williamsonians, Old Bordenians v Maidstone 2nds, Sevenoaks 4ths v Folkestone 2nds, Kings Alleyns v Marden Russets, Bexleyheath & Belvedere v Cliftonville, Blackheath & Elthamians v Canterbury 3rds. Gore Crt 2 ..... 16 10 4 2 35 27 34 New Becc 2 .. 16 8 5 3 43 20 29 F’stone Op 3 . 16 8 3 5 37 17 27 Uni of Kent .... 16 7 6 3 44 28 27 K Sports........ 16 8 2 6 26 20 26 Tun Wells 4... 16 8 2 6 36 31 26 Gill Anchs 2 .. 16 5 5 6 22 23 20 Sevenoaks 6 . 16 4 7 5 33 32 19 Herne Bay 2 .. 16 5 2 9 27 40 17 Burnt Ash 4... 16 5 1 10 25 39 16 Maidstone 3.. 16 3 5 8 16 34 14 BromBeck 5 .. 16 2 4 10 15 48 10 Results: Herne Bay 2nds 1 Tunbridge Wells 4ths 2, New Beccehamian 2nds 7 Gore Court 2nds 0, Burnt Ash 4ths 1 Maidstone 3rds 2, Sevenoaks 6ths 3 University of Kent 3, Bromley & Beckenham 5ths 3 Gillingham Anchorians 2nds 1, K Sports HC 1 Folkestone 3rds 2. Fixtures: Gore Court 2nds v Burnt Ash 4ths, University of Kent v K Sports, Tunbridge Wells 4ths v Sevenoaks 6ths, Maidstone 3rds v Bromley & Beckenham 5ths, Gillingham Anchorians 2nds v Herne Bay 2nds, Folkestone 3rds v New Beccehamian 2nds.