Danny Hall continued his free scoring ways of last season with a second minute goal to open East Grinstead’s 2008-2009 league campaign. Goals from new acquisition, German under-21 Martin Haner, Darren Cheeseman and David Cresswell gave them a 4-2 win over Beeston in the Slazenger EHL Men’s Premier Division. New boys Southgate travelled to Manchester only to be the worse off in a 3-0 encounter with Bowdon. Bowdon’s scorers were Ian Wilson, Ian Hardingham, and Stephen Brogdon. Champions, Reading, saw their GB internationals in the thick of it when they were visited by Hampstead & Westminster. Jonty Clarke opened the scoring just before the break, and Richard Mantell was on the penalty striking form in the closing seconds. Other scorers were Andy Watts and Austin Smith in their 4-1 win.
Cannock’s impressive 7-1 win over Havant yesterday propels them to the top of the table on goal difference. Surbiton and Loughborough Students also met yesterday, with the match ending in a 3-3 draw.
What may have been the goal of the day did not stop Team Bath Buccaneers losing to a resurgent Guildford in the Men’s West Conference. Nick Deayton’s mid-air parry put the visitors on even terms after Guildford’s Tim Norman scored from a penalty corner in the 14th minute. Despite peppering the Guildford goal repeatedly, with a combination of the upright and Simon Mason – recently transferred from Reading – somehow saving Guildford from going behind, it was a penalty stroke conversion by Duncan Marsh and a final flourish goal from Josh Tester, that gave Guildford a well deserved 3-1 win. As Simon Mason commented after the match, they hard burgled the result, but had shown some steely determination in the process. Our photograph shows action from the match. Further photographs from the match are available to view on our web site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk.
In the East Conference, Bromley & Beckenham go top on goal difference after a 4-1 win over Chelmsford. In the North, Sam McCambridge’s hat-trick in their 6-1 win over Telford & Wrekin, helped put the Derbyshire side at the top of their table.
Our unique all-on-one page league tables will be available to download from our web-site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk later tomorrow (Monday).
