HOCKEY: Local weekly round-up

The result leaves Worthing in fourth place, on 20 points, three behind leaders Holcombe 2nd, who have played an extra game.

Lewes, one point ahead of Worthing, also have a game in hand, and second-placed Marden Russets now sit two points in front.

But Worthing captain Matt Ansell believes things are far from over for his side, with the more appetising set of fixtures after Christmas.

But he will be taking one game at a time, starting with a must-win match at BBHC on Saturday.

Ansell said: "Saturday was a great disappointment for myself and the team. It leaves us with a lot of hard work to do.

"However, looking at results and fixtures, we've played all the top teams away and I feel we have a slightly better second half of the season.

"We have to focus on the weekend. BBHC away, historically, is always a very tough match. To realistically be in a position to contest the league, we must win on Saturday to keep ourselves within touching distance of the top."

Rob Lowe flicked home the opener into the roof of the net on Saturday from inside the D to score against his old club.

A slip in defence gifted Lewes a short corner, which they equalised from, before they scored a well-worked deflected goal moments later to take them into the break 2-1 up.

Lewes then scored a breakaway goal to hand them a two-goal lead. Worthing played out the remaining 20 minutes deep in Lewes' half but were unable to pull a goal back until five minutes from time, despite good chances for Ansell, Craig Paterson and Lowe. Alex Warner then despatched a penalty flick, but they were unable to force home an equaliser.

WORTHING: Binns, Warner, Beales, Godber, Pease, Sciandro, Sawyer, Paterson, Ginnaw, Ansell, Lowe. Subs: Marr, Sewell.

A 5-2 home win for Worthing 2nd over Lewes 3rd,was enough to keep them top of Sussex Area Division 1 on goal difference heading into the Christmas break.

A depleted Worthing side found themselves 4-1 up at the break and comfortably saw out the game in the second half. Goals from Mark Duncan (two), Adam Stephens, Ahmed Ramiz and Andy Moore secured the victory.

Captain David Edmondson said: "I managed to get Mark Duncan to play in just his third appearance of the season. Andy Moore and Chris Lowin were back from the Army and university respectively and all three had fine games."

In the same division, Southwick came out on top, 10-7, in a high-scoring game away at South Saxons 2nd. Penguin also got among the goals and stay third after running out 7-2 winners at Brighton & Hove 3rd.

Littlehampton also head into Christmas top of Division 1 in Sussex Open League Division 1 after a comprehensive 6-2 win over Crawley 3rd.

Jon Miles bagged a hat-trick, and Tony Windust, Tony Thompson and Steve Jenkins netted the goals as other results went their way with St Francis and Horsham failing to secure wins in their respective games.

Miles put through Windust, who kept his head to slot past the goalkeeper to open the scoring. Miles doubled the lead midway through the half, when he rounded the keeper and neatly finished from a tight angle.

A goal-line clearance from David Macdonald helped maintain the two-goal lead before Miles struck again in the first half.

Thompson netted the fourth early in the second half, deflecting Jenkins' short corner over the line, although Crawley did pull a goal back as they tried to find a way into the game.

Jenkins then scored himself, before Crawley hit back again but it was Miles who had the last word. He claimed his hat-trick late on, when he held off the Crawley defence and lifted the ball into the top corner.

LITTLEHAMPTON: Keeley, Thompson, Phillips, Clark, David Macdonald, Sexton, Warner, S.Jenkins, Judd, Miles, Windust. Subs: D.Jenkins, J.Macdonald.

Worthing 5th remain six points clear in Division 3 of the Open League after a 5-0 walk-over win over Lewes 8th.

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