Saxons pipped in 9-goal thriller
Saxons were edged out by a Sevenoaks team they beat in the reverse fixture on the opening day despite holding a 3-1 lead at one stage during the second half.
The Hastings club went into this South Hockey League Kent/Sussex - Regional 2 clash high on confidence following a good win over Cliftonville seven days previously.
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Hide AdThe home team started well and opened the scoring from its first short corner, an unorthodox routine ending with Toby Reed slotting the ball home from a yard out.
Sevenoaks didn’t seem too fazed by falling behind and were soon back on level terms. Five minutes before the break, though, Saxons went back in front through a controversial goal from Rob Whitehouse which could easily have been disallowed for ‘back-stick’.
An inspirational half time team-talk from captain and man of the match Paddy Cornish fired up Saxons and Whitehouse made it 3-1 early in the second period.
Sevenoaks bounced straight back, however, with three fairly quick goals to take a 4-3 lead. Great character was shown by Saxons, in their pink away strip, to score a well-worked equaliser as a fine ball from the left by Alex Coombs was finished in trademark fashion by a sliding Jamie Busbridge.
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Hide AdBut a relentless Sevenoaks grabbed their winner a few minutes from the end, much to the disappointment of a Saxons side which felt it deserved a point for its endeavours.
Standings (played 11 matches unless stated): 1 Blackheath & OE 28pts, 2 King’s & Alleyn’s 23, 3 Brighton & Hove II 22, 4 Crawley (10) 19, 5 Lewes II 16, 6 Sevenoaks II 16, 7 Sutton Valence II (10) 12, 8 Mid-Sussex 10, 9 SOUTH SAXONS 9, 10 Cliftonville (10) 9, 11 Canterbury III 7.