HOCKEY: Weekly local round-up

Goals from Craig Paterson (two), Chris Marr, Chris Sciandro and Alex Warner, with his 17th of the season, ensured Worthing moved to within three points of leaders Holcombe with a game in hand.

With third-placed Marden Russets game against fourth-placed Lewes postponed, Worthing went ahead of Russets by a point and two points ahead of Lewes, although they have played a game fewer.

Brighton started the brighter on Saturday and converted a one-on-one opening past Worthing keeper Chris Binns.

Soon afterwards, things were level as a fast ball movement from the back line was played through to the midfield, where the ball was worked for Paterson to eventually finish.

However, a miss-placed pass let Brighton again take the lead, just as Worthing seemed to be getting into their stride.

Worthing them strung together an impressive 15-pass move, which resulted in Sciandro despatching a cleverly-placed shot from the top of the D, in off the far post.

Worthing, now in their usual form, saw good play from Matt Ansell and Grant Sawyer set up Paterson for his second.

After the break, Warner finished a drag flick in normal style from a short corner for the fourth. Marr then tapped in after a sharp piece of passing play at the far post to wrap things up.

Jimmy Pease was then penalised for a foul, which meant Worthing went down to 10 men for five minutes, in which time Binns pulled off a number of good saves.

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

Worthing 2nd thrashed Horsham 12-0 away to go top of Sussex Area Division 1.

Hat-tricks from top-scorer Bryan Lock, who has now hit 20 goals this season, and Ahmed Ramiz, as well as two from Mark Minchell and a Stuart Barter goal, saw Worthing overcome the nine-goal advantage that South Saxons previously had at the top.

They had Worthing 3rd to thank as they picked up only their second point of the season with a 5-5 draw with previous leaders Saxons.

Worthing 2nd team captain David Edmondson said: "After the 2-2 draw last week, we knew the league was likely to remain tight, so I had asked that we were more ruthless and really look to cement the win early, then go for all-out goals."

Worthing were 5-0 up at half-time with the clean sheet thanks to a number of excellent saves from Chris Wheeldon.

They continued to have a few chances in the second half but with just under 10 minutes to go, Barter converted a penalty stroke and they then crashed home four more goals.

In the same league, Penguin beat Middleton & Bognor 7-2, and Southwick were narrowly defeated at home, 3-2, by Brighton & Hove 3rd.

Littlehampton bounced back from last week's defeat in Sussex Open League Division 1 against Horsham 3rd with a 5-2 win over St Francis 2nd, which knocked them off the top of the table.

Jon Miles smashed home all five goals for Littlehampton as the result leaves them second, level on points with St Francis, and a point behind leaders Horsham.

St Francis had the better of the opening exchanges, but Littlehampton took the lead after Miles dummied a defender and the keeper before coolly slotting home.

Miles soon doubled the lead with a trademark reverse-stick shot.

The visitors then fought back with goals from Neil Henry and Callum Lumbard.

Miles netted another to complete his hat-trick, while Littlehampton keeper Nathan Keeley kept his side in front with a superb save before Miles sealed the win with another two goals.

Worthing 5th extended their unbeaten run in Division 3 of the Sussex Open League to nine games with a 5-1 win over Brighton 6th.

Aaron Chapman and Luc Hinton both netted braces, while John Herbert was also on target. Worthing were 2-0 up at half-time and then conceded a goal to let Brighton back into the game. But another three goals made sure they kept their six-point lead at the top.

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