Havant are punished for sloppy defending

Havant are propping up the embryonic National Division 1 South table after three successive losses.

They followed up a 5-1 drubbing at Canterbury by losing 5-3 at home to Sevenoaks.

They visitors were ahead early on, Andrew Ross sending his drag flick from a third minute penalty corner - awarded for a clumsy tackle - past an unsighted Maciej Pacanowski.

Havant levelled within three minutes when James Speke deflected in a James Lester shot.

Sevenoaks retook the lead in the 31st minute following more poor defending. After Pacanowski had pulled off a save, a Havant defender gifted the ball straight to ex-Havant player Ben Allberry who scored with a rasping shot.

Poor marking and defending allowed Sevenoaks to make it 3-1 on 40 minutes through Jason DohertyBigara.

A minute later the unmarked Edward Matts struck a fourth.

Undaunted, Havant replied again on 46 minutes, Speke scoring his second with a chip over the onrushing Potton.

Within two minutes Havant had pulled another goal back, Bradley Lock and James Morris setting up the unmarked Miguel Rodrigues, right, to make it 4-3.

Sevenoaks restored their two-goal lead, though, when a penalty corner was saved but the rebound fell to Craig Morton.

Havant continued to press and won two more penalty corners, while Lock and Eryk Bembenek also tested Patton.

Havant have the chance to claim their first win this week against third-bottom Brighton , who have only picked up a point in three games.

Newly-promoted Fareham Ladies are still waiting for their first South Division 2 win.

A young squad travelled to Teddington, who were playing two divisions higher in 2019/20, and suffered a 3-0 loss.

With Heather Batten still recovering from inury and the previous week’s goalscorer Rebecca Reavell unavailable, Niamh Hannick was handed her first team league debut.

Teddington took a 10th minute lead through Amelia Millan, but in the final ten minutes of the half Fareham looked dangerous on the break through the pace of Vicky Field and Hannah Ward.

The second half was a very different contest with Fareham on top for most of the 35 minutes.

Teddington were still a threat on the break but Jilly Tovey in goal impressed and the Denham sisters, Emily and Kiera, remained composed in defence.

Teddington doubled the lead, against the run of play, in the 47th minute from a penalty corner when captain Kate Woolridge shot from just inside the circle.

Tovey had it covered but it took a deflection off a Fareham stick and into the bottom corner. Hermine Narnio wrapped up the scoring.