Leaders Saxons hit rivals for six

Saxons remain a point clear of Horsham II at the South Hockey League Sussex Area - Division One summit with Penguin four points off the pace in third.

Their captain Paddy Cornish said: “It easily could’ve been a tricky one and we were still saying that at half time, but second half they just couldn’t handle us really.”

Saxons fell behind in the first five minutes against a Southwick side which had scored 16 goals in winning its previous three matches, but Dave Draper struck twice to give them the edge at half time.

Draper, pictured, added another after the break to complete his second hat-trick in three games, the returning Jamie Busbridge weighed in with two and Cornish added the other.

Saxons: Deaves, Reed, Watters, Rogers, Cornish, Burnett, Eldridge, Towers, Coombs, Draper, Bunday, Cload, Busbridge.

A full report will appear in Friday’s Hastings Observer.

Standings (played six matches): 1 SOUTH SAXONS 16pts, 2 Horsham II 15, 3 Penguin 12, 4 Brighton & Hove III 10, 5 Hailsham 10, 6 Lewes III 9, 7 Southwick 9, 8 Crowborough 9, 9 Crawley II 7, 10 Middleton & Bognor 4, 11 Eastbourne II 4, 12 East Grinstead IV 0.