South Saxons up to second after ninth straight win

Saxons scored two goals in the last 15 minutes to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 win away to Mid Sussex in South Hockey League Kent/Sussex - Regional 2.

With Marden Russets and Ashford - the top two at the start of the weekend - drawing with each other, Saxons are now a point above Marden and behind Ashford on goal difference having played a game more than both.

See also: * South Saxons chalk up eighth straight win* South Saxons versus BBHC in pictures* South Saxons overturn deficit to net seventh straight winKeen to keep their impressive form going as they travelled to Burgess Hill on Saturday, Saxons fell behind early on to a Mid Sussex drag flick.

Having been in this position many times in recent weeks, Saxons showed their character to take the game to Middies and equalised with a well-worked goal. Alex Coombs and Chris Meredith were heavily involved in the build-up and Andrew Acott applied the finish.

Saxons soon took a 2-1 lead through a magical drag flick by Coombs which had the Middies defence moving to take cover as the ball went in off the underside of the crossbar.

The half time discussion was to push on and keep fighting for the win, but Saxons suffered a setback when captain Paddy Cornish was shown a yellow card and given a five-minute ‘rest’ for a deliberate foot to stop the opposition from getting into the D.

Saxons were made to pay as while they were down to 10 players, the home side scored another drag flick to level at 2-2.

As the home spectators pushed their team forward, Saxons began to feel the pressure. They conceded yet another short corner, which led to a penalty stroke following Nick Taylor’s foot on the goal-line. Mid-Sussex dispatched the flick to lead 3-2 with 15 minutes to go.

Saxons’ skipper was shown his marching orders once more for poor discipline, but this time there was a different outcome during his time off. Saxons pushed to get back in the game and Lloyd Williams got on the end of a rebound to make it 3-3.

Saxons piled on the pressure late on, driven forward by midfielders Jon Meredith, Acott and man of the match Will Orr.

Back-to-back short corners were won by the visitors. Coombs looked to have gone down a dead end only to scoop the ball through his legs to Cornish, who made amends by scoring a late winner for his team.

Saxons will host fourth-placed Gillingham Anchorians - the last team to beat them back in November - this coming Saturday. Push-back at Horntye Park is 1.30pm.

South Hockey League Kent/Sussex - Regional 2 top five (played-points): 1 Ashford 14-35 (+29 goal difference), 2 SOUTH SAXONS 15-35 (+21), 3 Marden Russets 14-34 (+30), 4 Gillingham Anchorians 13-27 (+10), 5 Canterbury [3] Pilgrims 14-24 (+17).