After six wins on the spin, Spalding 1st finally lost their maiden East Men’s Hockey League Division One North game of the season on Saturday.
A 3-2 home reverse against Cambridge University 2nd at Glen Park not only shattered their 100 per cent record, but also dropped them down to second in the standings on goal difference.
In what was always going to be a tough test, Spalding fell behind before Stu Cunnington’s lovely cross to the back post allowed a sliding Joe Rogers to level matters before half-time.
The hosts started the second half well, but once again fell behind – only for some fine individual play from Robin Edlington to win a penalty stroke, which James Mayhew clinically converted.
That’s how it looked liked ending, before Cambridge nicked it at the death with a penalty stroke of their own.
In Division Two North West, Long Sutton were on the wrong end of a 7-4 scoreline in an 11-goal cracker at Cambs South 2nd.
South went ahead inside ten minutes after a defensive lapse, but Sutton levelled soon after when Dan Oldfield deflected home a Josh Fyson short corner.
Sin bins then cost Sutton, with the hosts netting twice when a man up either side of a Brad Sargeant bullet that had levelled the scores.
Starting positives after the interval, Fyson fired home from a penalty corner to make it 3-3.
However, South stalled the fightback and scored twice in quick succession from a short corner and a penalty flick.
Sutton’s Josh Baker flicked home a penalty to make it 5-4, but two further Cambs goals settled the clash and leave Sutton down in eighth.
In the same division, Spalding 2nd remain pointless and bottom following their 2-0 loss at fellow strugglers St Neots 1st.
In Division Four North West, Long Sutton 2nd lost their perfect record after a 1-0 reverse at Cambridge City 6th.
Sutton, who slip to second in the table, played well at times but those patches were too few and far apart to build any consistent periods of pressure.
There was better news for Spalding 4th, who romped to a 5-1 home victory over Bourne Deeping 4th and now sit fourth in the table.
Ben Scholes (2), Jason Naylor, Willem Borst and Charlie Smith grabbed the goals at Glen Park.
Meanwhile, Long Sutton 3rd raced to a big 6-2 success over Cambs South 6th at the Peele Leisure Centre.
In what was Sutton’s third win of the season, Gary Hales and Luke Jackson both netted doubles.
Dan Simpson and player-of-the-match Troy Croxford also notched for the victorious third side.
The final result of the week saw unbeaten Spalding 5th handed a 5-0 walkover win by St Ives 5th in Division Six North West. The victory keeps them clear at the top.
Saturday fixtures: Bury St Edmunds 1st v Spalding 1st (1pm); Long Sutton 1st v St Ives 2nd (2.30pm); Spalding 2nd v COP 4th (11am); Long Sutton 2nd v COP 6th (1pm); St Neots 2nd v Spalding 4th (1pm); COP 7th v Long Sutton 3rd (TBC); Spalding 5th v Cambs Nomads 4th (2pm).
