Hastings club hits back to secure first win of season

South Saxons Hockey Club's men's first team recorded its first league win of the season at the fourth attempt.
Alex Coombs was South Saxons Hockey Club's man of the match in the victory away to BBHCAlex Coombs was South Saxons Hockey Club's man of the match in the victory away to BBHC
Alex Coombs was South Saxons Hockey Club's man of the match in the victory away to BBHC

Saxons overturned a half time deficit to win 3-1 away to BBHC in South Hockey League Kent/Sussex - Regional 2 on Saturday.

On a hot and sticky day in Bexley, Saxons showed their quality early on as selfless two-touch hockey resulted in a number of chances, although none of them were converted.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

See also: * Hastings club salvages draw in eight-goal thriller* Hastings go fourth after beating Guernsey* St Leonards star edged out in epic English Open finalDespite Saxons’ dominance, BBHC showed their threat with some rapid counter-attacks. One of them ended with Saxons conceding a soft short corner which BBHC duly converted.

Going in behind at the break is a position Saxons have become accustomed to, though, and the message at half time was to ramp up the aggressiveness and continue flashes of quality hockey.

In the second half, Saxons’ higher press began to pay dividends as they strengthened their dominance of the game.

This approach led to the first Saxons goal as the rapid Alex Coombs laid a reverse stick pass across the D for Jamie Busbridge to finish into the back of the net.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Having not taken any points at BBHC in recent years, Saxons expected a strong response. BBHC launched another counter and although not even the redoubtable Dave Waters was able to stop them. Nick Taylor was on hand to execute a questionable ‘last ditch tackle’ - with two defenders behind him and using the wrong side of his stick - to prevent a likely goal.

Saxons came to the fore with 10 men on the pitch. Busbridge banged in his second to put the visitors ahead before Saxons delivered one final nail to the coffin when man of the match Coombs grabbed his fully deserved goal to round-off an important victory.

Saxons are up to sixth in the 11-team division and they will be back on home astroturf this coming Saturday against seventh-placed Mid Sussex, who are two points behind them with a game in hand. Push-back at Horntye Park is 1.30pm.