Blues give it some stick
Saturday saw Oxford University Men's Hockey team take on top-of-the-table Oxted in the Premier division of the Southern Hockey League.
The game got off to a blistering start and it was Oxted that struck first from a well-worked free hit.
The league's top scorer, Calum Giles fired the ball into the 'D' for Oxted's other star, Reece Basson to expertly deflect the ball into the net.
Oxford quickly hit back. David Cresswell put in a hard flat cross from the right edge of Oxted's 'D' and Joel Evans dived down to his left with an outstretched stick to deflect in a superb equaliser.
Nearing half time, a controversial short corner was awarded to the away side as former Great Britain International Giles im-plored the umpire to give the set piece. The initial stop was miscontrolled but Giles improvised and produced a powerful and accurate flick to the top corner of Oxford's goal.
The Blues were undeterred and finished the half strongly, but the missing of a string of opportunities from short corners was to prove costly.
After half time Oxford were caught cold as Man of the Match Basson flew through the static Oxford defence and thrashed home one of his trademark reverse stick hit shots to the bottom left of Zoso Davies in the Oxford goal.
Shortly afterwards the imposing figure of Sean Fleet collected the ball just outside the 25-yard line glided past four Oxford defenders before winning a short corner from which Giles unleashed another unstoppable flick.
The game was still evenly contested and Oxford were starting to assert themselves with the lightning quick Dan Solomon performing well in right midfield.
Dave Close and Phil Raddant also had solid games making some important challenges and distributing nicely in defensive midfield.
The resurgent Oxford team were slowly ratcheting up the pressure, looking for a way back into the game when Great Britain-hopeful Basson picked up the ball, beat four men with his prodigious skills and hammered it low past Davies.
Overall Oxford produced a competent performance against a quality team, but it was the missed opportunities towards the end of the first half which eventually scuppered their chances.
The run up to the Varsity match in early March should see the Blues climb from their mid-table position whilst Oxted, currently 11 points clear, are looking strong candidates for the league title.
27th Jan 2005