Littlehampton Hockey Club enjoy outstanding start

Littlehampton were promoted as Division 1 Open League champions last year, while Saxons were relegated from Sussex League Division 1 and Littlehampton dominated the first half.

Inspired by Colin Warner, Littlehampton surged forward and mounted attack after attack and hit the woodwork three times through Warner, skipper Jon Miles and Russell Shrives.

In a rare five-minute spell of pressure, Saxons forced two short corners which were saved on the line by Dave Macdonald, but Littlehampton were punished for not clearing their lines when a right-wing cross was turned in to give the visitors an unlikely half-time lead.

Littlehampton kept up the pressure in the second half and were denied by a string of excellent saves by the Saxons keeper.

Just as it was looking as though it would be one of those games for Littlehampton, they equalised when, after a move across the midfield, Warner spectacularly fired into the top corner.

After another similar move found Shrives at the near post, he rounded his marker and slotted home form a narrow angle for Littlehampton’s winner.

Littlehampton showed excellent energy and commitment throughout in a solid team performance and young Will Miles stepped in at the last minute as rolling substitute and acquitted himself admirably.

Littlehampton captain Jon Miles said: “We had a great pre-season, which has helped to build momentum going into the league season.

“We have been able to bring in a couple of new faces in Russell Shrives and Dave Fryatt, which will help to strengthen the spine of the team, and the addition of the 2nd XI will not only help us improve as a team but as a club as well. Although just staying up this year will be an achievement, I think we can push for at least a mid-table spot.”

Littlehampton are at Horsham 3rd on Saturday.

LITTLEHAMPTON: Keeley, D.Clarke, Thompson, Skinner, D.Macdonald, Sexton, Ackrill, Warner, Fryatt, J Miles, Shrives. Sub: W.Miles.

Littlehampton’s 2nd XI made an excellent start to their Open League Division 5 season with a 10-2 win over Lewes 7th.

Littlehampton soaked up Lewes’ pressure and played a brilliant counter-attacking game which saw them score five times in the first 11 minutes through an Andy Skinner hat-trick, debutant Luke Pannell and Mark Windust, with his first for the club. Lewes hit back with goals on 13 and 19 minutes to make the half-time score 5-2.

Littlehampton started quickly in the second half and Skinner got his fourth from a penalty corner on 38 minutes.

He soon got his fifth on 55 minutes and Simon Judd got on the scoresheet two minutes later.

Skinner then added another two to take his tally for the game to seven and captain Damien Jenkins said: “It was an amazing performance, all 13 players in the squad had great games today.

“If we had put our chances away we may well have had 20 but the best thing about our performance was that players never stopped pushing themselves.

“If we can play like that every week, I see no reason why we can’t be challenging for the title at the end of the season.”

Jenkins, who is also club chairman, added: “It is so encouraging to see so many new players come in to the club and fit in straight away. “Littlehampton has been long renowned around the county for being a sociable club and the club ethos has always been one of ‘friends that play hockey together’.

“Our club is looking to develop and expand and we are hoping that within a few years we can have men’s, women’s and junior hockey teams at Littlehampton”.

The club welcomes new players, of all ages and abilities, to their training sessions, which take place at 8-9pm every Monday at The Littlehampton Academy.

LITTLEHAMPTON 2nd: Miles, Jenkins, Skinner, Bolton, Isaac, Judd, J.Macdonald, Fuller, Windust, Pannell, Scott. Subs: Lewis, Cullern.