Saxons go three points clear at top

Saxons made it 22 points from a possible 24 in Sussex Open Hockey League Division One with a 4-2 win away to fifth-placed Southwick on a chilly Saturday morning.

With Jamie Busbridge still not fully match fit, Saxons had Olli Beal and Ed Hooton back in the team, and Beal proceeded to conjure up a match-winning hat-trick.

The foundations for victory were laid during the first half, which Saxons ended 3-0 up. They opened the scoring when Dan Burnett fired into the top corner after an Alex Coombs flick was blocked.

Olli Beal made it 2-0 when he topped a shot from the edge of the D and it looped over the goalkeeper. The same player then weaved through the defenders before slipping the ball between the goalkeeper’s legs for number three.

Southwick came back strongly in the second half and a rare lapse in a Saxons defence which had a solid game gave them a goal back.

Jon Meredith turned up for the last seven minutes having been delayed at work and a rebound fell to man of the match Beal, who fired home to complete his treble.

Southwick scored their second goal at the end of a good passing move, but Saxons weren’t to be denied and they are sitting pretty with three games remaining before the festive break.

Saxons will take on 10th-placed Crawley II in their final home fixture of 2015 this coming Saturday. Push-back at Horntye Park is 1.30pm.

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