The final round of 2021 fixtures in the East Men’s Hockey League served up a pre-Christmas cracker as Long Sutton 1st edged out Spalding 2nd 4-3 in Division 2NW.
Sutton went into the Glen Park clash as slight favourites, but it was hosts Spalding who started strongly and raced into a 2-0 lead with goals from Harry Naylor and Steve Rogers.
That sparked the visitors into action and Josh Baker halved the deficit minutes later. Spalding were then unable to control the Sutton high press and, five minutes before the break, Josh Fyson levelled the scores from a short corner.
The start of the second half saw Spalding take the lead again with a Pete Wright strike from a short corner.
At the other end, home keeper Rob Callaby was on-song as he kept out Sutton time after time before Baker finally beat him to level the clash again.
There was still time for Fyson to fire home the winner for Sutton from the top of the D, giving the away side the points.
That leaves Sutton seventh at the halfway point of the season, with Spalding 2nd second-from-bottom.
Up in Division One North, Spalding 1st end the first half of their campaign top of the standings after a typical 7-0 victory at Bourne Deeping 1st.
With the opening stages largely forgettable, Spalding kicked into action midway through the first half when Stuart Cunnington sent a strike from a short corner into the keeper’s left-hand corner.
The latter stages of the first half saw Spalding dominate both in terms of possession and territory to secure three further goals through Cunnington (2) and James Mayhew.
Joe Rogers (2) and Cunnington’s fourth of the game rounded off the rout in the second half.
Down in Division 4NW, Long Sutton conclude 2021 as table-toppers after a 4-0 victory over Cambridge South 4th.
Ed White (2), Tyler Hagan and Frazer Watt netted the goals to make it 11 wins from 12 matches so far this season.
In the same division, Spalding 4th slipped up 1-0 at Cambridge City 6th.
The only goal came from a short corner just before half time.
Down in Division 5NW, a first-half hat-trick from Gary Hales steered Long Sutton 3rd to a 3-2 win over COP 7th, while Spalding 5th saw their game at Cambs Nomads 4th postponed.
- Spalding Poachers 1st end 2021 top of the East Women’s Division 2NW after being awarded a 5-0 walkover win against Kettering 1st.
In the same division, Long Sutton ladies’ 1st picked up a 2-2 draw against Pelicans 1st and end the year in the bottom three.
Their goals came from Hannah Baker and Amber Jones. It was Baker who opened the scoring, before Pelicans hit back with two quick goals – leaving Jones to level the scores late on.
In Division 3NW, meanwhile, a hat-trick from top talent Karen Timby gave Spalding Poachers 2nd a 3-1 win at City of Peterborough 4th.
That leaves them third in the standings.
In the same division, Spalding Poachers 3rd remain in the bottom two after their game against Wisbech Town 2nd was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
