CANTERBURY BEATEN BUT NOT BOWED

With Reading running away with the Premiership and having added another three points to their tally yesterday evening, potentially the most intriguing match of the day was third placed Cannock at Canterbury, the latter currently holding up the table. For much of the match one was left wondering how it is that Canterbury have only managed to pick up three points in ten outings. Although Cannock had much the lion’s share of the possession, Canterbury were never the underdogs in this match. As if to underline this point, they opened the scoring in the 20^th minute, when Andrew Gooderham (deputising for James Fair who is on GB duties) trapped the ball in front of his goal and left a sitter for Matt Harper to slip between the posts. Some superb goalkeeping by Canterbury’s Adrian Kimber, and a good slice of luck, kept Cannock at bay until just after the break, when Michael Johnson scored an equaliser from a penalty corner. It only took two minutes for Gareth Andrew to give Cannock the lead but Chris Bassano-Harper was able to put the teams on level terms from a stinging shot in open play. Canterbury need more than one point to get themselves out of trouble and even that eluded them when Simon Ramsden scored from a penalty corner. Final score 3-2 to Cannock. Our photograph shows Cannock’s Hardeep Jawanda threatening the Canterbury goal. More photographs from this match will appear on our main web site (www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk) soon.

Elsewhere in the Division, Bowdon’s revival was underlined by a useful three points at Beeston, with Saxon Hill scoring the only goal of the match. East Grinstead’s European ambitions were advanced when they beat Loughborough Students at home, EG’s scorers being Ben Payne, Scott Ashdown, and Danny Hall.

SLAZENGER EHL PREMIER DIVISION RESULTS:
Beeston 0 – 1 Bowdon
Canterbury 2 – 3 Cannock
East Grinstead 3 – 2 Loughborough Students
Hampstead & Westminster 4 – 4 Havant
Surbiton 1 – 6 Reading (Played on 24/11/07)

Things are so tight in Men’s Division One that one slip up can have a dramatic result on a team’s league ranking. Old Georgians, who were in second place at the start of the weekend, drop to fifth after their 2-1 defeat by leaders Southgate. Moving in the opposite direction are Bath Bucaneers, who now occupy second place after their 5-0 win at Belper. Old Loughtonians move up from sixth to third after their 3-2 win against Brooklands.
FULL LEAGUE TABLES WILL APPEAR ON OUR MAIN WEB SITE SOON.

WOMEN’S CUP FOURTH ROUND
Barnes Hounslow and Ealing 3 – 0 Sevenoaks
Clifton 0 – 4 Bowdon Hightown
Nottingham Highfields 0 – 4 Leicester
Olton & WW 3 – 0 Poynton
Staines 2 – 0 Reading
Sunderland 1 – 3 Ipswich
University of Birmingham 2 – 3 Old Loughtonians 3 (Golden goal)
Worcester 0 – 8 Slough

THIRD TEST MATCH ARGENTINA v GREAT BRITAIN (WOMEN)
Argentina 1 – 0 Great Britain