England Hockey League

Men’s Conference

HARLESTON Magpies travelled down to Oxted with a changed squad due to injury and work commitments. They were however still confident of being able to get a result against a side below them in the league.

Oxted started brightly carrying an attacking threat to the Harleston defence as they looked to transfer the ball quickly from back to front with long passes. Harleston sloppy play cost them as Oxted broke into Dee down their right before the forward Neil Turk squared the ball only to deflect past the helpless Richard Harms off the Magpies defenders foot. Oxted took the lead on six minutes. As the half went on Harleston took more and more control of the game. Oxted went down to 10 men after receiving a yellow card. The chances came for Magpies through both open play from well worked moves down the Harleston right and a number of short corner opportunities. The Oxted goal keeper made good saves first down to his right as well as with his hands. Oxted did still carry a threat going forward but mainly feeding from Harleston errors and breaking forward with pace. Oxted survived to half time with their lead intact at 1-0.

The pattern of the game was now set as Harleston continued to pressure Oxted creating yet more chances after the break. Again the chances came in both open play and short corner form. Oxted did still carry there attacking threat and had one or two short corner chances of their own as the game flowed. Again Harleston had a hand in their own down fall as they gave away cheap possession for Oxted to break away and score making it 2-0 on 58 minutes through Jonathan Wilkes-Green. Harleston still continued to forge chances as they tried to fight back throwing men forward but lacked the finishing touch. This did however leave them open at the back to the counter attack. Harleston received a yellow card making the task harder as Oxted broke quickly. Then Oxted received their second yellow of the game after foul play. This was then followed by another yellow for Harleston after a collision. Over all Harleston will feel they had the greater of the chances but Oxted proved clinical in taking theirs.