WRIGHT STUFF: Spalding Hockey Club’s Pete Wright. Photo (NIKKI GRIFFIN): VNG011114-40

Hockey: Long Sutton can rest assured after slick success

Long Sutton Men’s 1st go into a two-week break full of confidence after a 4-0 win over City of Peterborough 2nd in Premier B on Saturday.

Sutton’s slick hockey and hard work was too much for COP, who were forced into many mistakes. Harrison intercepted a 16-yard hit and slotted the ball to Fyson who finished superbly into the net to break the deadlock.
A beautiful drag flick from Fyson into the bottom corner made it 2-0 before the break.
Then chance after chance went begging for Sutton until a superb short corner routine allowed Dan Batten to sublimely deflect in the third.
Batten added his second with a delightful deflection/cross.

Spalding 1st made it five wins on the bounce with a 5-1 success at Ford.
After conceding in the first minute, goals from Cunnington (3), Temple-Baxter and Allen kept the Division One tabletoppers on course.

In Division 3NW, Long Sutton and Spalding fought out a fairly uneventful 1-1 draw.
Sutton opened the scoring through Luke Jackson, but Glenn Perkins grabbed a point for Spalding late on.
James Cliff was Sutton’s best player.

Down a level in 4NW, the return of Ed Sly in midfield and Rob Tilbrook in defence gave Spalding 3rd a more balanced look.
Peter Gray (2), Steve Rogers and James Stone got the goals in a 4-0 win at St Neots.

Long Sutton 3rd returned from Cambridge South 4th with a terrific 5-0 win in Division 5NW.
With the likes of Will White, Harry Synott, Kane Portass and Harry Thorpe all playing in the same squad for the first time this season, the attacking inter-play was creative and a pleasure to watch.
Adam Sisson put them 1-0 ahead and Will White scored with another reverse stick goal following more good teamwork.
Albert Slator pulled off a spectacular diving save to keep Sutton’s clean sheet and White grabbed their third from a penalty corner before half-time.
Cambridge hit the crossbar before Synott sent a reverse stick shot in for 4-0.
And Kane Portass released White, who found himself on the 25-yard line with on the keeper to beat. His first shot was saved but he calmly picked up the rebound to complete his first hat-trick for the 3rd team.

Spalding 4th are up to third in the table after a 3-2 win over Horncastle 2nd.
Ryan Davy showed excellent skills in the run-up to Spalding’s opener and Andy Stone restored their lead after a Horncastle equaliser.
Dominic Ibrahim increased the lead with some cheeky skills and Spalding hung on after conceding again.

Down in Division 6NW (N), Spalding 5th suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Bourne/Deeping 5th, who went top of the table.
Brave defending and saves from keeper Rob Callaby kept the visitors out, but Spalding were just off the pace and two first-half goals were enough for the visitors.
Spalding’s Carl Pybus got a ball in the face and had to go to hospital.

Meanwhile, Long Sutton 4th took all the points by winning with the odd goal in seven against Grantham 1st.
Sutton are playing with a great deal of confidence now, and Grantham’s keeper was in inspired form.
Prolific James Baker broke the deadlock after a pull-back from Gary Hales, who made it 2-0. Then Luke Proctor snatched a goal from inches out.
A couple of defensive lapses kept Grantham interested and only Ian White’s second-half goal guaranteed the points for Sutton.

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