Hockey East Men’s League

Division One

COLCHESTER were left to rue missed chances as defeat at home to Waltham Forest saw them knocked off the top of the table for the first time this season.

It was the visitors that took the lead, when a long ball was not dealt with by the Colchester defence and a Waltham Forest forward was allowed to run at Liam Phillips, the forward shifted the ball past Phillips and stuck a reverse stick effort into the back of the net.

Colchester soon found their stride and got themselves on the score sheet. A free hit was worked up to Rob Mann in the ‘D’ who turned his man and fired a shot across the goal, where a deflection off of a defender’s stick took the ball into the goal.

Colchester pressed forward and their efforts were rewarded with a second goal. The ball was worked neatly to the left and crossed into the ‘D’, where Brian Barker was on hand to force the ball over the line from close range.

Colchester was dealt a blow when Mark Kennedy received a Yellow Card for a stick tackle and spent five minutes in the sin-bin. The visitors had restored parity before half-time; when a penalty corner was deflected at the back post.

After half-time Colchester once again pressed forward and looked to take the advantage. The home side won a Penalty Corner, which was slipped back to Joe Rich. Rich took a touch and pushed the ball towards goal, only for the Waltham Forest keeper to get a touch and deflect the ball wide. Colchester and Rich were not to be denied for long, as within minutes Colchester forced another Penalty Corner, which again they slipped back to Rich, but this time Rich swept the ball first time into the goal.

Colchester continued to look good and created further chances and doubled their advantage when Rohan Khaira fired home another Penalty Corner. Colchester continued to press forward looking to kill off the game but chances falling to Rob Mann and Jack Devitt weren’t taken.

Waltham Forest got a goal to get back into the match and with ten minutes to go restored parity once more, when a penalty corner strike was deflected at the back post. With the game nearing an end both sides had chances to win the game, Rob Mann fired wide for the hosts with Jack Devitt waiting on the back post.

The visitors though took their chance when a forward swept in after the ball was played in from the right. The defeat leaves Colchester in second place in the league and needing to get a result when they travel to play third placed Ipswich 2nd XI next week.

Colchester Round-Up

The second eleven registered their fourth straight win as they maintained the place at the top of division 4SE, beating Wapping fourth XI 3-2, with goals from Tony Elston (2) and David Fletcher. The third eleven had a week off as their scheduled opponents Ford 2nd XI had withdrawn from the league earlier in the season. The fourth eleven were on the wrong end of an 8-0 score line away at Plashet 2nd XI in division 7SE.