At the risk of repeating ourselves, this has been a crazy season, with some unexpected results.
TalkHockeyRadio was at the top-of-the-table Men's Premier Division clash between Canterbury and Beeston this afternoon. Whilst the final result was predictable, the number of goals scored was not. Both have been involved in some high scoring matches this season, but we imaged that the two sides would have largely cancelled each other out when they met each other.
The game was marked by some notable goals, the first coming from Cantebury's Liam Foster in the third minute. Canterbury did not celebrate for long. Carl Smith equalised a minute later. When Isaac O'Connor put Canterbury back in front soon after, we did not have to wait long before Sam Dixon converted a penalty corner to make the score 2-2.
Although the two sides went into half time at 4-4, you could sense that the match was gradually moving in Beeston's favour, and second goals from Carl Smith and Sam Dixon, plus a goal from Craig Boyne (to add to his first half strike) gave Beeston a commanding lead. Canterbury's Michael Farrer scored from a penalty corner in the dying minutes, but by then it was too late, and the match ended 5-7.
Canterbury had saved the match from postponement by moving it to their second pitch, but there was no such luck at Paddington Rec, where the match between Hampstead & Westminster and Southgate fell foul to a frozen pitch.
Surprisingly, the two most northerly matches in the Premier Division survived the frost. Charlie Brooke equalised for Brooklands MU soon after David Harris had put Cannock ahead from the penalty spot. Final score there, 1-1. Andy Bull did all the work for Loughborough Students, scoring both their goals in their 2-2 draw against Surbiton.
Two sides we have been watching carefully this season are East Grinstead and Reading. The two met this afternoon at Saint Hill, with Richard Mantell giving the visitors a first half lead. Reading scored two late goals from Richard Springham and Tom Carson, but East Grinstead were unable to muster up a reply and the match ended 0-3.
As a result of today's games, EG slip from fifth to seventh, separated by goal difference from Surbiton in sixth place and Reading in fifth.
Former East Grinstead players scored twice for England in Champions Trophy in Melbourne. Adam Dixon and Harry Martin had given England an early lead against Germany, when Richard Smith scored an own goal to put the score at 2-1. It was just before half time that Germany's Mats Grambusch, formerly of EG, put the ball into his own net to make the score 3-1. The other former EG player, Darren Cheesman, scored the fifth and final goal of the game to give England a 4-1 win.
Today's Results:
Belgium v Pakistan: 0-2
England v Germany: 4-1
Netherlands v Australia (Score awaited)
New Zealand v India (Score awaited)
Pool A
India (3 pts)
England (3 pts)
Germany (3 pts)
New Zealand (0 pts)
Pool B
Australia (3 pts)
Netherlands (3 pts)
Pakistan (3 pts)
Belgium (0 pts)
