At TalkHockeyRadio we were curious to know how East Grinstead would fare in a Premier League match against Loughborough Students whilst their ranks were decimated by GB call-ups. EG have lost eight players, including South African international Gareth Carr.
Carr and the absent Ashley Jackson are 'Grinstead's usual penalty corner strike force, so it was with some surprise that their deputy had such an impact on the match. Loughborough Students, who are a good side but desperately in need of some points, went into the second half with the benefit of a goal from Sam Ward. But did not take long for Rick Gay to equalise from a penalty corner.
EG slipped behind seconds later when Chris Griffiths scored the Students' second. Some of the more experienced East Grinstead players are used to having the likes of Middleton, Jackson and Stott around them, and sometimes expected too much of their less experienced colleagues. But as the second half progressed they adapted to the conditions and, in the 59th minute, Gay scored his second from a penalty corner to equalise.
It remained end-to-end stuff, and it looked as if the match was going to end in a draw – in some ways a fair result. However, a late penalty corner resulted in Gay scoring his hat-trick, and the match ended 3-2 to EG.
The result leaves the table positions of the two sides unchanged. This is more than could be said for the match between Bowdon and University of Exeter, which finished 4-3 in Bowdon's favour. This lifts Bowdon out of bottom place, which they have occupied since week four, into eighth. Their place is taken by the University. The result did not help Southgate who, despite an early Dan Shingles goal, went down 1-2 to Cannock. Southgate slip one place to ninth.
Some of the gloss seems to have gone off Beeston's season, with a 1-3 defeat at home to Reading. Their table positions were influenced by the result at Paddington Rec, where Hampstead & Westminster took the points in a 2-1 win over Surbiton. Reading climb to third place, two points behind Cannock, Beeston drop to fourth, and Surbiton slip down to fifth.
These are the last matches before the winter break. Hockey moves indoors next weekend.
Full results and tables can be found on our main web site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk. Images from the match will appear on our Pictures pages later.
