Long Sutton Hockey Club round-up
Hat-tricks from McKenzie East and Josh Fyson helped secure a comfortable home win for Long Sutton on Saturday.
The duo's treble hauls were backed up by a goal from Josh Baker as Sutton ran out 7-1 winners against City of Peterborough 3rds in their Division 2NW match.
The home side went into the game fresh from a big win away to Bourne Deeping last week and confidence was high with a five-match winning streak.
Sutton welcomed back Dom Ibrahim to the side as they sent out a strong 13 even with noticeable names out.
They started on the front foot, pressing well but most importantly offering the away side no channels to attack into and forcing them to make their own mistakes.
This was largely down to the work of the midfield of Jimmy Harrison, Sam Gray, Ibrahim and East as well as wide men, Dan Batten, Frazer Watt and Nick Ellis.
It was a short corner that would provide the first goal of the game which was slotted superbly well by Fyson into the bottom left.
Another would shortly follow with Fyson this time having to round the runners before finishing once again.
Some of the attacking link up play throughout the half was on another level from the home side.
Intelligent touches and passes from the likes of Baker, Batten, East and Ibrahim going forward caused all sorts of issues for the opposition defence.
A perfect ball from Baker to East resulted in him rounding the keeper to get his first of the game.
Peterborough bounced back to add one of their own but Sutton responded adequately well.
A lovely attack down the right with the likes of Baker, Ellis and Gray linking up well ended with the ball on the end of East's stick in a threatening position at the top edge of the D, allowing him to fire home on his back hand for a 4-1 interval lead.
Sutton began the second half pretty well once again and faced a tough test breaking down the low block of the travelling side.
The patience of Dan Oldfield, Michael Donaghy, Fyson and Luke Proctor in transferring the ball round the back would be tested while the midfield worked hard to create the pockets of space needed to attack into.
Goal number five would be Fyson's third cam came in similar fashion to the second.
More Sutton possession and dominance followed and, once again, a successful short corner routine saw East fire home to complete his first ever senior hat-trick
Sutton continued to storm forward and there could have been a couple more goals if it hadn't been for the work of their keeper.
A brilliant one touch ball from Baker found Batten with a perfect deflection which was saved brilliantly.
More chances also came for the likes of Baker, Batten and Watt and it was the former who added the seventh with a clever two-touch finish at the near post.
The unsung hero of the match was James Cliff between the sticks as he produced some outstanding saves, especially those to prevent the quick breakaways from the opposition as a result of the high Sutton press.
It was a dominant display overall and Sutton will feel as though they are as ready as ever to take on local rivals Wisbech this weekend in a first against second clash.
Wisbech are yet to drop points this season with 14 successive victories and are 11 points clear at the top of the table.
Long Sutton 2nds moved back to the top of the Division 3NW table after a 3-0 home win against City of Peterborough 5ths on Saturday.
From the off, Sutton were keen to stamp their authority on the match and nearly took the lead within the first minute.
Peterborough weren't sure how to deal with the constant pressure afforded by the front five of Luke Jackson, Alex Canham, Eddie Hales, Dan Plant and Troy Croxford
And, in the 11th minute that was answered, as a short corner was won by Jackson and a clean injection from Ed White was met by a sharp finish into the bottom corner by Stef Fox to open the scoring.
Peterborough continued to weather the storm and grew into the game and it was only the resolute defending of Ben Hales, Tom Baguley and Si Clarke, along with some fine saves from the ever-improving Alfie Braginton that kept them at bay.
The second half started in the same fashion as the first with free flowing attacks and multiple chances coming Sutton's way.
Short corners kept being won and it was from one where the ball bobbled back to Canham who rocketed a shot into a defender's foot on the line to win a penalty stroke which was dispatched with aplomb to double Sutton's lead.
Peterborough tried to break forward but Sutton continued to push to seal the game off.
And it was from a defensive 16 that Baguley sent the ball straight to player of the match Canham at the half way line, who collected it in before sending a through ball to Plant inside the opposition D, where the onrushing keeper was beaten and the three points clinched.
There was only enough time in the game for Ben Hales to be given his marching orders for a strong missed tackle as the match finished 3-0 to Long Sutton.
The third team were beaten 3-0 by Bourne Deeping 3rds while the ladies' first team lost 5-0 against City of Peterborough 3rds.
The ladies' second team match against Wisbech 3rds was postponed due to the weather.
