Saxons not giving up on title

Four points off the pace with two games to go, they will have to settle for a third successive runners-up finish if leaders Horsham II win tomorrow (Saturday).

Saxons captain Paddy Cornish said: “We’ve got to be positive. We’re still hopeful it can happen. There’s still time. They’ve still got Hailsham this weekend and that’s where we slipped up.”

Horsham have won their last 12 games, but Saxons will be hoping it’s unlucky 13 when they host seventh-placed Hailsham tomorrow. Hailsham beat Saxons back in the cold snap on February 4, but have won only once since then.

Saxons, for their part, must pick up three points in their final home game against ninth-placed Middleton & Bognor, who they’ve beaten in the last three league meetings between the two clubs, scoring 16 goals in the process.

“We’re definitely confident of beating them, especially at home, but we can’t go into the game thinking we’ve already won it,” added Cornish. “It’s a good opportunity to put in a performance and show we can play hockey.”

In the unlikely event that results do go Saxons’ way tomorrow, the destination of the league title will come down to a winner-takes-all final day shoot-out between the top two at Horsham next weekend.

The champions will receive automatic promotion to South Hockey League Kent/Sussex - Regional 2, while the runners-up will go into a promotion play-off against the equivalent finishers in Kent.

Pete Watters will return for Saxons in place of Dom Ford having missed last weekend’s 2-0 win away to Lewes III while attending the Tottenham Hotspur versus Bolton Wanderers football match. Push-back at Horntye Park is 1.30pm.