Another win double for City of Peterborough Hockey Club's first teams
City of Peterborough men had to work hard to see off a young, gifted and talented University of Nottingham second XI in their National League fixture at Bretton Gate on Sunday.
The students enjoyed plenty of possession and territorial domination, especially in the second half, but City defended well and showed a ruthlessness in attack which proved to be the difference in a 3-1 success.
City have now won all five of their Midlands Conference League matches and sit second in the table behind Oxford Hawks on goal difference. There are no games next weekend so City are back in action at home to fourth-placed Blueharts at Bretton Gate on November 1.
Standings (all played 5): 1 Oxford Hawks 15pts, 2 City of Peterborough 15pts, 3 St Albans 12pts, 4 Blueharts 7pts, 5 Nottingham Trent University 6pts, 6 University of Nottingham 2nds 6pts, 7 Barford Tigers 5pts, 8 Norwich City 4pts, 9 Banbury 3pts, 10 Olton & West Warwicks 0pts.
Veteran Gareth Andrew opened the scoring for City with a blistering reverse stick strike into the top corner on 12 minutes and four minutes later Zak Scotting added a simple second.
Nathan Rozario added a third, against the run of play, from close range after a Josh Baker shot had rebounded off a post in the third quarter and City spent the rest of the game defending. The visitors pulled a goal back eight minutes from time, but some fine goalkeeping from Cam Goodey ensured they could make no further inroads.
City seconds are second in Division One North after former first team skipper Matt Porter scored twice in a 4-1 win over Harleston Magpies.
City of Peterborough Ladies will take the East League break in second place in the Premier Division after a hard-fought 2-1 win at Bishop’s Stortford. It was a strong bounceback after their first defeat of the season at leaders Ipswich the week before.
Tierney Carlton opened the scoring from the penalty spot two minutes into the second-half after she’d been unceremoniously upended by the home goalkeeper. The hosts equalised within two minutes, but a well-worked short corner goal from Breesha Foxton sealed City’s deserved win.
Standings: 1 Ipswich P6 16pts, 2 City of Peterborough P6 13pts, 3 Chelmsford P6 11pts, 4 Cambridge City 2nds P6 10pts, 5 Upminster P5 10pts, 6 Bishop’s Stortford P5 9pts, 7 Broxbourne P6 7pts, 8 St Albans II P6 7pts, 9 Norwich Dragons P6 5pts, 10 Cambridge C III P6 3pts, 11 Braintree P6 3pts, 12 Harleston II P6 3pts.
City seconds are top of Division Two North West with six wins from six matches after demolishing Bourne Deeping firsts 8-0 with Honor Moore hitting a hat-trick.
Other City East League results
Men: 2s beat Harleston 4-1 (Matt Porter 2, Tom Seaton, Tom Tuffnell). Star player Will Davis. 3s drew 3-3 with Long Sutton (Isaac Charles, Manny Patel, Edward Hales). Star player Jos Walker); 4s beat Pelicans 8-0 (Gary Hales 4, Paul Hilsdon 2, Phil Martin, Josh Norey). Star player Gary Hales; 5s lost to St Ives 0-3. Star player Roan Pilsworth. 6s drew with Newmarket 1-1 (Steve Cooper). Star player Jack Burgess; 7s lost to Wisbech 0-2. Star player Rob Fisher; 8s drew with St Neots 2-2 (Harry Whitmore, Oliver Siddorns). Star player Aurion Heinert; U14s lost to Blueharts 3-7 (Aurion Heinert, Oliver Siddorns, Will James).
Ladies: 2s beat Bourne Deeping 8-0 (Honor Moore 3, Emily Kinnear 2, Cam Braid, Lucy Belcher, Taylah Parker). Star player Emily Kinnear; 3s lost to Cambs Uni 0-8. Star player Amelie Oliver; 4s lost to Spalding 1-3 (Ellie Holmes). Star player Charlie Exton; 5s lost to Wisbech 1-2. Star player Phoebe Giret; 6s beat Wisbech 3-0 (Sophie Spencer 2, Sue Thorpe). Star player Sophie Spencer; U14s lost to Blueharts 0-2.