Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Poor start sets the tone
Hockey
Canterbury lost their second game on the spin, going down 4-1 to Southgate in Men’s League Division 1 South at Polo Farm on Saturday.
They made a disastrous start, conceding a goal in the opening minute and never recovered. Southgate made it 2-0 after 14 minutes and went further ahead 15 minutes into the second half. Although Canterbury responded quickly with a goal from Louis Ridge three minutes later, the visitors wrapped up the win with another goal. Craig Boyne’s side visit Oxford Hawks on Saturday. Canterbury 2nds were beaten 4-3 at London Academicals in Premier Division 2 East. Andrew Dunn and Jack Gooding (2) scored their goals. The Pilgrims maintained their three-point lead over nearest challengers Herne Bay with a 2-0 home victory against
Blackheath & Elthamians. Harry Roblin got in round the back and beat the keeper at his near post to put the hosts ahead. In the second half, Pilgrims’ slender lead looked under threat but any fears were put to bed by a reverse stick strike from manof-the-match Ed Laslett. Nathan Redman hit a first-half hat-trick as Canterbury Millers defeated Sevenoaks 4ths 5-2 in Kent Area Division 2. Second-half goals were scored by Ollie Neal and Alan Mckibben.
The Griffins lost out 1-0 at Ashford 4ths, the team just above them in the Kent Open Premier B table.
The hosts scored what turned out to be the winning goal after just five minutes, breaking up a Griffins attack and moving the ball quickly upfield with the visitors’ defence caught out of position.
This spurred the Griffins on and they had an opportunity to equalise from a short corner
– their only one of the game – but Dave Sharp’s shot saved on the line.
The Squires fought valiantly but were beaten 4-0 by youthful Old Williamsonians 4ths in Kent Open Division 1.
They did win a handful of short corners but despite varying the options and working round their defence their efforts were summed up by Jimmy Laslett striking the post, with the ball then spinning along the goal line but not over it.
In a bad-tempered match, the Friars lost 3-1 at Marden Russets 5ths in Kent Open Division 3. The hosts took an early lead with Canterbury replying through Pete Bowell.
In the second half things turned ugly between the two sides and the umpire had to stop the game and warn the captains that cards might have to be shown.
Marden just proved too strong and wrapped up the win with two more goals.