Hockey: Chichester fell the Oaks to continue fine start

South open premier div one

Chichester are second in the table after beating Sevenoaks – their third straight win.

The game started at a fast pace and an early break down the left saw Andrew Sparshott get round the back and win a short corner, but Alex Thakore saw his effort cleared off the line.

Chichester started to move the ball well. Alex Holton created space on the right and after beating a couple of Sevenoaks defenders, fired the ball across the D for Richard Blakesley to pop up unmarked at the far post and fire the ball in to an empty net.

Luke Matthews received a yellow card for playing a high ball. Chichester battled hard with ten men and were happy to go in to the break 1-0 up.

In the second half, Chichester were wasteful with possession in midfield and encouraged Sevenoaks forward.

Good defensive work from Kieren Henn, Jason Collins and Steve Spear kept Sevenoaks at bay, but they started creating chances. A ball across the D found a Sevenoaks forward unmarked, but Dan Godsmark made a great stop to keep Chi in front.

With Sevenoaks pushing forward, Chichester broke away and a good move between Alex Baxter and Sparshott saw Baxter with an opportunity to make it 2-0, but his effort drifted just wide.

Late on, Sevenoaks piled on the pressure but Chichester held strong and another fine save from Godsmark and a great interception from Collins earned another home clean sheet and three points.

London Academicals 3 Chichester II 2

Hampshire/Surrey div one

Chichster prepared well but went behind early. Chichester enjoyed good possession, but the opposition scored their second in as many attempts.

The visitors pressed on and created chances they failed to convert.

Being a new side they struggled to communicate, which made defending difficult and the London side converted a lucky penalty corner before half-time.

In the second half, they looked a different side and quickly got one back with some good pass-and-move hockey allowing Dan Moon to score from close range.

Chichester enjoyed more possession and were unlucky not to win more free hits and penalty corners. O’Boyle got into the opposition’s D to score a deflected goal.

Chichester felt a point was within their reach but failed to capitalise on possession.

CHICHESTER: Gotham, Veltom, Brook, Beales, Gammon, Lunn, Jenkins, Pendle, Lane-Smith, O’Boyle, Moon, Clark.

Honeybees 0 Chichester Ladies 2

After a long trip to Brighton, the game started well and Chichester were stronger than the home side.

But Chichester seemed determined to let the opposition play around them and the visitors gave the ball away too often.

Soon Chichester were putting the Honeybees defence on the back foot. They were rewarded with a penalty corner and good goalkeeping denied them a goal.

It wasn’t long before Chichester were in the attacking D and Van der Stap scored her fourth of the season.

After the break, Chichester kept Honeybees camped in their own half and they had only a handful of meaningful breaks.

Chi hassled the home side into making mistakes and were awarded another penalty corner - and from this Helme scored her first of the season.

CHICHESTER: Young, Austin, Banks, Strang, Chaplin, Helme, Kuntze, Marks, Hudson, Arke, Greenlees, Greenway, Van Der Stap.

Chichester Ladies III 1 Hailsham II 2

The first half started well with everyone working as a team although as a newly-formed team, the ladies are still getting to know each other.

Team spirit was good and with an excellent combination between Pack and Darke, a short corner was given. It ended in a cracking shot by Darke to put Chichester 1-0 up.

Just before half-time Hailsham equalised with an unbelievable goal hit from the very edge of the circle into the top corner of the goal.

The second half started well but two very strong persistent forwards for Hailsham were pushing the defence. The second for Hailsham was scored by a good strike in the circle from an unmarked player.

Chichester’s heads did not go down and they fought until the last minute to equalise.

The threes are improving all the time and are confident a win will come.

CHICHESTER: Tanner, Dunster, Darke, Peake, H Chamberlain, K Chamberlain, Lilliwhite, Cruttenden, Pack, Halterman, Procter.

Chichester Friars 8 Haslemere Veterans 2

Wessex Masters League division one

The Friars have enjoyed a great start to the season with wins in the League Cup - 9-4 against Havant and 15-0 against US Portsmouth. The first league game of the season resulted in a 3-3 draw against West Wilts.

Fielding a stronger side at Haslemere, the Friars made a good start but went behind after ten minutes after a defensive error. A few minutes later Andrew Savory equalised from a straight strike at a short corner.

The Friars kept Haslemere pinned in their own half. After prolonged pressure, Bryan Lock scored, followed by a penalty stroke for Savory’s second.

The fourth, from Tracey Boyce, came after more pressure before the team eased off and allowed Haslemere more time on the ball.

Changes were made and the Friars dominated the second half. In a great 20-minute spell the Friars went 8-1 up with a second from Boyce, and Lock adding another three to take his tally to four.

Another defensive error led to Haslemere’s second with the last hit of the game.

FRIARS: Ball, Jaeger, Osborne, Smith, Alexander, Walters, Gray, Savory, Pacey, Lock, Pacey, Boyce.

Centurions 2 Hailsham 7

Ladies’ Sussex League

Hailsham dominated early possession but Centurions made strong interceptions.

After repeatedly attacking the goal, they scored three times within 20 minutes.

Centurions failed to convert a short corner and conceded a further two goals.

Shortly before half-time, Centurions made a fast break that resulted in a skilful goal by Louise Thew.

The second half saw Centurions more organised and slick passing up the field resulted in a goal by Claire Mealing. Centurions had considerable possession and were disappointed when the umpire awarded a controversial goal to Hailsham when the ball had crossed the back line.

Demonstrating why they are at the top, Hailsham delivered a final blow, slipping the ball into the net just before the whistle.

CENTURIONS: Harbord, Sullivan, Edge, Mealing, Johnston, Brown, Strudwick, Hurford, Brooker, Pordage, Thew.

Chichester Under-16 Girls 0 Havant Under-16 Girls 9

Havant are an older team who play together regularly but the average age of the Chichester team was 13 and this was the first time they had played together.

Chichester were told to play as a team and improve their own game ensuring everyone was putting in 100 per cent.

During the first half, most of the game was played in their own 25-yard area.

Despite Chichester defending diligently, Havant scored numerous times and Chichester failed to get off the mark.

After the break, Chichester played as if they were a whole new team. They marked tightly, passed the ball around, made full use of the width of the pitch and had several strong drives towards goal.

There was skilful tackling from Rachael Trent, a commanding presence from Olivia Watkins (voted player of the match) as sweeper and Hollie Chamberlain setting up attacking play at right-back.

Megan Cliff and Demelza Peake worked together in the middle to drive the ball up the pitch towards attacker Mille Burley.

The final scoreline reached double figures, but Chichester achieved their goal of playing good hockey and showing tremendous potential. The girls worked hard and enjoyed every second.

Chichester Chipmunks 1 Penguins II 2

Sussex open div three

The experienced Penguins started strongly but the Chichester defence held strong and stifled the attacks.

Chichester could not find the final pass to take an unlikely lead.

A string of penalty corners followed before one strike caught a Chichester player on the foot as the ball headed goalwards. Penguins took the lead from the penalty stroke that followed.

Chichester started the second half more effectively but could not pull level and a deflected corner strike saw Penguins go two up.

Unbowed, the Chipmunks kept working and pulled a goal back through Lowther.

Chichester went looking for an equaliser but the midfield were unsettled by an injury to key player Craig Hindmarch that rules him out for at least a month.

CHICHESTER: Ball, Creswick R, White, Woodruff, Gleeson J, Lowther, Hindmarch J, Hindmarch T, Kathegesu, Sturdey, Gleeson T, Creswick R, Stemp.

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