Hailsham Hockey Club |
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Affiliated to: Sussex Hockey Association |
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Both sides ould take credit for producing an excellent match in treacherous conditions on the newly laid Lewes astro. The match before this one had been abandoned after forty five minutes with parts of the pitch beginning to freeze over but after discussions between the umpires and captains Lewes and Hailsham decided to give it a go. It turned out to be the right decision as the game went ahead without mishap in spite of a very difficult one metre strip of frozen pitch running the length of one of the wings.
Not surprisingly it was the home side that adjusted best to the conditions with Lewes having the better of the first half, forcing several short corners and testing keeper Dave Hathaway on a couple of occasions. When they took the lead it was no more than they deserved after some good attacking moves and a thunderous shot from their right winger. Hailsham refused to panic though and they gradually began to break up the Lewes attacks more quickly whilst distributing the ball more effectively.
After half time the pattern of the game began to change significantly with Hailsham defending further up the pitch and forcing the Lewes midfield back into their own half. Neil Phillips who had a storming game started to combine his central midfield duties with some bucaneering runs and crosses from the right ably supported by Steve Johnson. Up front Ian Johnson and James Dyer looked likely to unsettle the Lewes defence before too long and Sam Rham combined cool defensive solidity with some elusive runs from the back.
Fittingly it was Neil Phillips who brought the scores level when he was able to convert a cross from the right and just a few minutes later Steve Johnson got the crucial second goal when his shot was deflected past the despairing Lewes keeper.
Hailsham saved the best goal till last however. A concerted spell of pressure saw the ball cleared from the Lewes D but only as far as Laurens Dyer who had moved up from his defensive position. He surged forward before spotting the run of his brother James who had moved into the centre of the D from the left wing. Laurens Dyer slipped the ball through and James brilliantly turned his marker before thumping the ball home. It was a fitting conclusion to a splendid fight back by Hailsham.
After the game skipper Richard Bishop commented: "It wasn't a vintage Hailsham performance but I was delighted by the way the boys continued to play controlled, constructive hockey even when behind and in the end we got the win our play deserved."
On Saturday Hailsham take on Southwick 2s keen to avenge a heavy early season defeat.
Hailsham ladies lost out to a strong EG side losing two nil despite a plucky performance with only ten players.
What a difference three months makes.
When these two sides met in October, Hailsham staggered home from Mid Sussex having been on the receiving end of a 9-0 drubbing.
Just 98 days later they held the Martlets to a 2-2 draw, were easily their equals and had enough possession and chances to have won the game.
The opening period saw Hailsham put together probablytheir best half of the season, playing good, disciplined hockey, but unable to get the ball into the visitors' net. The experienced defence, boosted by Danny Willis' return from three months in Sweden to line up alongside veteran Jim Major, also held out to see the seconds record their first ever 0-0 half time scoreline!
Hailsham broke the deadlock early in the second half from a well-worked short corner. Geoff Farnes played the ball to Frank Rallings and, as on-rushing forwards caused havoc in the Martlets defence, Rallings played the ball to Don Paterson who stroked it home.
But a bad five minute spell midway through the second half saw the lead change hands. Weak defending let in a Mid Sussex forward to equalise with 20 minutes left and five minutes later they took the lead through a dubious short corner.
A few weeks ago that would have spelled game over for Hailsham, but they are made of sterner stuff these days. And with ten minutes left a superbly worked goal levelled the scores.
Jim Major robbed an Martlets attacker just outside the Hailsham D before driving a great long diagonal pass to Don Paterson wide on the right. Paterson crossed the ball into the path of top scorer Simon Barden who added one more to his season's goal tally with a crisp first time shot.
Not even a ball breaking in half mid-game could deflect attention away from how improved Hailsham's current form is, but the seconds face a tough trip away to second placed Lewes this Saturday.