Gareth Griffiths scrambles for the bar against Reading. Photo c/o David Kissman
England Hockey Men’s Premier League
Hampstead & Westminster 3 – 2 Beeston
17th March, Central London
Goalscorers: –
- Beeston – Gareth Griffiths (FG27), Robbie Gleeson (PC56)
- Hampstead & Westminster – Matt Guise Brown (PC4), Will Calnan (FG10), Rupert Shipperley (FG54)
- Squad – Simon Hujwan 1 , Gareth Andrew 3 , Mark Wadsley 3 , Kyle Marshall 5 , Robbie Gleeson 6 , Gareth Griffiths 7 , Joe Sharp 8 , Elliot Hibell 12 , Lucas Garcia Alcalde 15 , Stephen Lawrence 16, Richard Lawrence 17 , Marius Gemmel 18 , Lucas Ward 19 , Chris Proctor 21 , Matthew Crookshanks 23 , Vincente Martin 29
Reading 1 – 2 Beeston
18th March, Sonning Lane
Goalscorers: –
- Beeston – Gareth Griffiths (PS24), Marius Gemmel (FG38)
- Reading – Ben Boon (PC62)
- Squad – Simon Hujwan 1 , Gareth Andrew 3 , Mark Wadsley 3 , Kyle Marshall 5 , Robbie Gleeson 6 , Gareth Griffiths 7 , Joe Sharp 8 , Elliot Hibell 12 , Stephen Lawrence 16 , Richard Lawrence 17 , Marius Gemmel 18 , Lucas Ward 19 , Chris Proctor 21 , Matthew Crookshanks 23 , Navraj Degun 28 , Vincente Martin 29
Article – England Hockey.
Hampstead & Westminster threw their play-off hopes a lifeline with a 3-2 victory over high-flying Beeston in the Men’s Hockey League Premier Division on Saturday.
Previously top of the table until Surbiton’s 5-1 win over East Grinstead on Friday evening, Beeston found themselves two goals down with Matt Guise Brown and Will Calnan scoring for the hosts in the first ten minutes.
Gareth Griffiths halved the deficit for Beeston with a 27th minute field goal, but Rupert Shipperley scored on 54 minutes to give Hampstead back their two-goal cushion. Robbie Gleeson scored for Beeston two minutes later, but they couldn’t catch the London outfit.
The Bees faced Reading on Sunday and picked up a 2-1 victory. Gareth Griffihs was on the score sheet again with a penalty stroke in the 24th minute and Marius Gemmel extended the Bees lead in the 38th minute. Reading pulled a goal back through Ben Boon in the 62nd minute but the Bees hung on to their lead and regained their position at the top of the league.
Else where, having been knocked off the top of the table the week before, Surbiton retook the lead with a 5-1 win over East Grinstead, Alan Forsyth scoring four times and Luke Taylor once. Ross Stott scored East Grinstead’s only goal.
Reading came out on top in a nail-biting clash with Brooklands MU on Saturday, a goal with two minutes giving them a 5-4 win having been behind at half time.
Goals from Sam Perrin, David Flanagan and Peter Cornell helped Brooklands to a 3-2 lead at half time with Reading’s early goals coming from James Royce and James Carson.
Flanagan added another to put his side 4-2 ahead, but Reading hit back to win with Ed Carson, Lee Morton and Ben Boon scoring in the second half.
The matches between Sevenoaks and Wimbledon, and Holcombe versus Canterbury were both postponed because of the snowy conditions.
