Match Report - 24-Mar-2001
Hailsham 6 v Saxons 3's 3
The Hathaways hogged this show in the best possible way.
Making a rare guest appearance in this friendly Anthony Hathaway scored two fine goals whilst at the other end of the pitch father Dave in goal produced three breathtaking saves. The saves were hugely important as two of them occured when Saxons were 1 - 0 up and attacking freely in the first fifteen minutes.
Hailsham's response after a sluggish start was magnificent. Refusing to panic they gradually regained control of the match and then proceeded to play some champagne hockey that simply blew the opposition away. Sam Rham scored the equaliser from a neat short corner routine and then the second and third were dispatched by Ian Johnson after five or six pass moves that sliced open the Saxons defence.
Suddenly every member of the squad was contributing in all areas of the pitch and after half time Hailsham simply carried on where they had left off. Ian Johnson set up Anthony Hathaway who scored deftly from an acute angle and then Hathaway returned the compliment to allow Johnson to claim yet another hat trick in his remarkable goal scoring career.
At 6 - 1 Hailsham could perhaps be forgiven for taking their foot off the gas and Saxons slipped in a couple of late goals to give an air of respectability to the scoreline. They had certainly contributed well to a fast, free flowing game of hockey but they had encountered Hailsham on a day when very few teams in their division could have lived with them.
HAILSHAM LADIES 4 v Newhaven 0
A combination of controlled defensive play and clinical finishing saw Hailsham ladies sweep to an emphatic 4 - 0 victory over Newhaven. The Hailsham forwards were in unstoppable form but they were grateful for some excellent service from the quicksilver Toni Hobden and the hugely influential Helen Major in midfield.
Gail Porter and Jo Edwards both got on the score sheet with some sweet strikes and Lucy Smith also showed superb finishing skills with a well taken brace.
The fact that Pam Winter in the Hailsham goal had another excellent game shows that the home side did not have it all their own way but in the end the confident Hailsham ladies were simply too strong for their opposition.
