Surbiton 7 Brooklands Manchester University 0
Surbiton beat Brooklands Manchester University 7-0 at Sugden Road on Saturday to ensure that they will finish top of the Men’s Hockey League Premier Division for the second season running and book their place in the 2020-21 Euro Hockey League.
Brooklands were well beaten for the second time this season at the hands of Surbiton, having lost 12-0 at home earlier in the season and will need to bounce back next week when they host bottom club Reading in a key relegation clash.
Surbiton led 3-0 at half time after having to wait until the 16th minute for Ben Boon to break the deadlock. Luke Taylor’s trademark penalty corner conversion two minutes later and Alan Forsyth’s strike in the 22nd minute put the hosts in a strong position.
Taylor was back in form in the third quarter, completing his hat-trick with penalty corner conversions in the 39th and 46th minutes.
Brooklands then held out until the 66th minute when Forsyth scored his 19th goal of the season and Taylor scored his 23rd goal of the season with three minutes to play.
Reading will be relegated after a run of 27 seasons in the top flight if they don’t win at Brooklands. The University of Exeter lost 6-3 at Hampstead & Westminster and could still suffer automatic relegation if results go against them but are more likely to end up battling to avoid finishing ninth and face the loser of the Division One North and South playoff.
Surbiton:
Scorers: Ben Boon 16-F, Luke Taylor 18+-PC, 39-PC, 46-PC, 67-PC; Alan Forsyth 22-F, 66-F.
Squad: Harry Gibson (GK); Luke Taylor, Rob Farrington, Tom Sorsby, Ben Boon, Jonny Gall (Capt.), Jonty Griffiths, Zach Wallace, James Royce, Alan Forsyth, David Goodfield.
Subs: Arjan Drayton-Chana (5 mins), Sam Spencer (5), Theun De Leeuw (8), Conor Williamson (10).
Cards: Green: David Goodfield (55 mins), Zach Wallace (58 mins).
Brooklands Manchester University:
Scorers: None
Squad: Robert Turner (GK); Dan Vincent, Tom Lush, Sam Perrin, James Sutcliffe, David Flanagan,
James Clifton, Patrick Lonergan, Peter Flanagan, William Battitessa, Andrew Jackson.
Subs: Richard Slater (3 mins), Hamish McKittrick (Capt.) (4), Michael Greenwood (6),
Andrew Rusbridge (7), Nick Jeffs (8).
Cards: Green: Nick Jeffs (11 mins), Sam Perrin (56 mins).
Match Official: David Collier
