Saxons one win from league title

South Saxons have moved within a win of the South Hockey League Sussex Area - Division One title after a 10-0 victory at home to Middleton & Bognor.
Alex Coombs in the thick of the action during South Saxons' 10-0 win over Middleton & Bognor. Picture by Simon NewsteadAlex Coombs in the thick of the action during South Saxons' 10-0 win over Middleton & Bognor. Picture by Simon Newstead
Alex Coombs in the thick of the action during South Saxons' 10-0 win over Middleton & Bognor. Picture by Simon Newstead

The Hastings club made it 10 victories in their last 11 games by hitting double figures for the first time this season against second-bottom opposition. Saxons have two games remaining, starting with a visit from mid-table Crawley II on Saturday April 6.

Middleton didn’t arrive at Horntye Park until more than 10 minutes after the scheduled start, causing the push-back to be delayed by half-an-hour. There was another problem 10 minutes into the match as the umpire decided the teams’ shirts were too similar in colour so Middleton had to wear lime green bibs over the top of their blue shirts.

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Dan Burnett set the ball rolling with a reverse stick shot into the corner at the end of a mazy dribble. He also fired the ball across for Jamie Busbridge to score the second. Busbridge made it 3-0 at half time by slipping the ball in at the near post after good work from Jim Towers and Burnett.

Saxons added seven more after the break. Man of the match Burnett finished with four, captain Paddy Cornish bagged a brace, and there was one each for Alex Coombs and Towers.

The hosts could even have had more because Cornish had a shot blocked on the line and a Burnett strike hit the goalkeeper in the head. It was Burnett’s last game of the season and possibly even for good due to changing work commitments. And after 20 years in the first team, he admitted to feeling quite emotional at the end.

Standings (played-points): 1 SOUTH SAXONS 20-47, 2 Brighton & Hove III 21-46, 3 Eastbourne II 21-41, 4 Crowborough 20-38, 5 Mid-Sussex II 20-35, 6 Crawley II 21-31, 7 Worthing II 20-24, 8 Hailsham 21-23, 9 Lewes III 20-23, 10 Penguin 20-19, 11 Middleton & Bognor 21-19, 12 Horsham III 21-10.

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