HOCKEY: Round-up (March 11)

IT WAS a nightmare weekend for Worthing Hockey Club as they lost in the league on Saturday before they exited the EHA Trophy on Sunday.

They remain second in the Kent/Sussex Regional League after a 3-1 defeat at Crawley when Craig Paterson netted their goal.

Lewes went five points clear at the top with their 5-1 win over second place Holcombe 2nd, who are one point behind Worthing, but both sides have a game in hand on Worthing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It is now a crucial run-in for Worthing as they host Holcombe on Saturday, before a trip to Brighton & Hove the following week, and then a visit from table-toppers Lewes in the final game.

After Saturday's disappointment, things did not get any better for Worthing as they crashed out of the Trophy with a 3-2 defeat away to Gloucester on Sunday. Cirdec Atkinson and Dan Ginnaw netted the Worthing goals.

Worthing 2nd will have all but wrapped up the Sussex Area League title if they can beat second place South Saxons 1st this weekend, after a convincing 11-2 win at home over South Saxons 2nd on Saturday.

A victory on Saturday will see them move nine points clear, with just three games to go, but they will remain in the driving seat with their superior goal difference of 80, which has been amassed with 108 scored in 18 games.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ahmed Ramiz led the way on Saturday with five goals. Stuart Barter and Bryan Lock struck braces, with Tim Barter and Luke Helmer also on target.

In the same division, Penguin won 3-2 away at Lewes 2nd to move into third place.

A flowing team move, orchestrated by Neil Watkins, led to Dave Matthews giving Penguin the lead but Lewes levelled late in the first half.

Rupert Ireland struck from a short corner to regain Penguin's lead but Lewes fought back to level again. But Matthews, with his fifth goal in three games, got Penguin's winner.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Also in the Sussex Area League, Southwick lost 4-3 at Eastbourne 3rd and Worthing 3rd lost 2-1 at Middleton & Bognor.

Littlehampton moved to within a point of guaranteed promotion from Sussex Open League Division 1 with a comprehensive 7-0 victory over South Saxons.

Leading scorer Jon Miles again stole the show with a hat-trick to accompany goals from Stuart Sexton, Steve Jenkins, Simon Judd and Ollie Clarke.

Littlehampton got off to a flying start in the first minute, as Jenkins set up Sexton to open the scoring, before captain Jenkins got the second, after controlling Dave Macdonald's pass and rifling in from just inside the D.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Saxons soon started to get into the game and Nathan Keeley was called upon in the Littlehampton goal, with Tony Thompson and Mike Phillips also playing well at the back.

Early in the second half, Judd scored to make it 3-0 and Littlehampton never looked back. Miles grabbed the fourth after trading passes with Macdonald and Clarke netted the fifth from close range. Miles then added another two late on.

Littlehampton host Horsham 3rd on Saturday.

LITTLEHAMPTON: Keeley, Phillips, Thompson, O.Clarke, Macdonald, Gardner, Warner, Jenkins, Judd, Miles, Sexton. Subs: Akrill, D.Clark

After being crowned Sussex Open League Division 3 champions last weekend, Worthing 5th's 16-game winning run came to an end at the hands of East Grinstead 6th in a 3-1 defeat.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Worthing centre back Dave Lock will miss the rest of the season as he has gone to Ukraine.

Penguin Juniors ran out 2-0 winners in their Development League derby against Worthing Wolves, and picked up their first win of the season.

Wolves started the brighter but as the half progressed Penguin started to create chances with James Hickman, Ryan Churcher and Faraz Hamid all threatening the Worthing goal.

The deadlock was broken after the break, when Hamid threaded a ball to Hickman, who slotted home. Straight from the restart, the ball was picked up by Aidan Goodwin who passed the ball to Hamid, and he ran the ball into the D and squared to Ryan Churcher, who finished from a tight angle.

-------------------------------------

Click here to go back to Worthing sport.

Click here to return to Gazette sport.

Click here to go back to Shoreham sport.

Where are you? Add your pin to the Herald's international readers' map by clicking here.

Email the Herald: [email protected]

Related topics: