Spalding 2nd enjoyed their best moment of the East Men’s Hockey League Division 3NW season so far on Saturday as they beat rivals City of Peterborough (CoP) 4th 3-1.
Despite Spalding – who had managed just one win all season prior to the derby – producing a commanding opening 20 minutes, it was CoP who opened the scoring.
After the break, man-of-the-match keeper Nathan Davy saved a penalty flick and several attempts at goal, spurring on the rest of the team in the process.
Relentless attacks duly saw Joe Higgins net twice, with Tom Mayhew scoring with a well-placed strike to secure Spalding’s second win of the campaign.
Staying in 3NW, Spalding 3rd also picked up a rare point as they battled out a 3-3 draw with CoP 5th at Glen Park.
The first half was an even affair and finished 1-1, with Alan Charevicius’ deflected opener cancelled out by a devastating CoP drag flick.
Charevicius turned home a reverse stick bullet from Glenn Perkins to put Spalding back ahead, only for the visitors to hit back again.
Spalding again took the lead when a well-worked move saw George Halgarth pick out Dan Azzopardi, who fired home.
However, a goal in the final two minutes ensured the spoils were shared, with Spalding 3rd at least climbing off the bottom.
Up in Division One, Long Sutton 1st suffered their eighth defeat of the campaign as Wapping 1st handed them a 3-2 home reverse.
Josh Fyson and Ben Shore were the scorers at the Peele Leisure Centre.
In Division 4NW, meanwhile, a Fred Whatling hat-trick fired Long Sutton 2nd to a super 6-2 victory over Cambs Nomads 2nd.
Gary Hales also helped himself to a brace, while player-of-the-match Will White rounded off the rout.
Elsewhere, Spalding 4th enjoyed a 3-2 victory at Cambs City 6th to stay third in the table.
Spalding 4th enjoyed a 3-2 victory at Cambs City 6th to stay third in the table.
They went 1-0 down early on, but Jack Martin fed Darren Willson to fire home a leveller from a corner. Max Bland then picked out Willson to put Spalding ahead for the first time, only for a home short corner to level matters again.
As the half wore on Spalding continued to press to get ahead and some good work on the right from Tom Amess split the defence open and for Willson to complete his hat-trick.
With no further goals after the break, Spalding toasted their seventh win of the campaign.
Down in Division 6NW (N), Spalding 5th went down 1-0 at home to Bourne/Deeping 5th, Spalding 6th were handed a 6-0 reverse at Bourne/Deeping 6th.
- Spalding Poachers 1st were handed a 2-1 home defeat by Cambs South 1st in East Women’s Hockey League Division 2NW on Saturday.
A slow start from the Poachers saw the visitors go 2-0 ahead early on, but they fought back with Amy Wells prominent in midfield.
Spalding eventually forced a short corner and skipper Jodie Abrahams stepped up to strike home – but they were unable to find a leveller.
Long Sutton 1st, meanwhile, drew 3-3 at St Ives 2nd. Lyn Tancred (2) and Charlie Leuty netted for them.
Down in Division 3NW, Spalding Poachers 2nd were held to a 0-0 draw at Horncastle 1st.
Meanwhile, Spalding Poachers 3rd battled out a 1-1 draw with Bourne/Deeping 3rd in Division 4NW (N), with Helen Jex their scorer.
Long Sutton 2nd lost 5-1 at Bourne/Deeping 2nd.
