NE14Hockey East Men's LeagueDivision Four South East Clacton 2 London Met University 4CLACTON suffered their first home defeat of the season to a class outfit who are walking away with top spot, now five points clear of Clacton with two games in hand.

NE14Hockey East Men's League

Division Four South East

Clacton 2 London Met University 4

CLACTON suffered their first home defeat of the season to a class outfit who are walking away with top spot, now five points clear of Clacton with two games in hand. The Seasiders put in a great performance to make the visitors work for their points and on another day could have put themselves a couple of goals up which would have shown exactly how much they have in reserve.

Clacton were without the skill and pace of Sam Hodge, but Francis Sanderson stepped into the position and ran tirelessly down the right. Mike Key had a solid game in goal for Clacton making crucial saves and was extremely unfortunate for two of the goals.

The Seasiders battled hard for each other making full use of their squad to keep the effort up on the pitch. The visitors took the lead when Carl Parkes tidying up from a short corner lost out to the challenging striker, unfortunately without the officials spotting a second player removing the protective cover of his shin pads for 1-0.

The Seasiders got through to half time having had their chances in front of goal in an open game where both teams looked to attack, with the sun behind Clacton they looked to push on. Unfortunately the visitors had other ideas and two players dribbled round the middle of Clacton to slot home for 2-0 straight from the start. Clacton didn't drop their heads and knuckled down to get back into the game.

As ever it was Rik Coleman that provided the fire power when he flicked a short corner passed the blinded keeper for 2-1. Unusually Coleman misfired twice when well placed missing each post by millimetres, before the visitors made it 3-1. Clacton then found Coleman back in his usual clinical mode when he converted a half chance into his second of the match and a new club record thirtieth of the season.

The visitors were getting worried enough to look for their fourth goal and when the right winger ghosted around the defensive line with awesome skill he then calmly aimed for a ball width space at the near post with the ball creeping agonisingly over the line after Mike Key managed to make contact with the shot for a final score line of 4-2.

The Seasiders can be proud of their performance and the fact that both games have finished 4-2, the lowest goals tally the visitors have scored against any opposition this season. Next week Clacton travel to Old Southendians looking to cement the second promotion spot as soon as possible.