Match Report by Alastair Whatley
Southgate 2 – 2 Beeston
Southgate fought for a hard won point in the difficult Nottingham away fixture against a resurgent Beeston side on Saturday night.
The home team nearly pulled off the surprise of the season last weekend when they almost held run away league leaders Old Georgians to a draw at St George’s College. Stephen Wood’s side have been buoyed by the success of their star GB forward Henry Croft who has already scored in every game he has played in this season. Southgate meanwhile travelled north after their first and only win of their season after a 7 goal thriller against Bowdon which saw Archie Foster bag a hat-trick to secure their much sought after first three pointer of the season.
Southgate travelled with only one change as Charles Hamilton returned from injury replacing Leo Garner in the forward line and immediately set to their work with an intensity of purpose as a John Sterlini aerial in just the second minute of play lobbed high into the D was brought and impeded by Jospeh Paul in the Beeston defence with umpire Chudasama immediately awarding the first PC of the game.
Southgate’s Jack Middleton tackles Robbie Gleeson of Beeston. Beeston v Southgate – EHL Men’s Premier Division at Nottingham Hockey Centre, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK on 26 October 2024.
Photo by Simon Parker/SP Action Images
Archie Foster sent his first touch of the game into the pads of Simon Hujwan in goal, Sean Davis grabbed the deflected ball but was unable to get it out from the floored Hujwan. A few minutes later a cross field from Sterlini picked out Hamilton who immediately made his presence felt on his return to the team as he drove hard into the D on his reverse, pivoted and slung a ball with ferocious force against the face of the Beeston goal, Karan Sofat just unable to meet it to send the visitors ahead.
Just seconds later Alasdair Richmond showed his class with an extraordinary diagonal ball to Henry Croft who led high out of the Southgate D picked up the ball and fired off a back space shot just shy of ‘Gate keeper Allan Dick who once again came into the side for Calum Douglas away still on International duty.
Beeston ramped up the pressure and in the 5th minute a strong run from the number 10 George Fletcher down the left channel, onto the baseline saw him beat 4 Southgate players and then Allan Dick on his near post as Fletcher surprised everyone by slotting the ball home to send the Bees 1-0 up.
The game proceeded to ebb and flow with half chances at either end until Foster just on the stroke of quarter time turned over the ball on the half way line, drove through 3 Beeston defenders shifted the ball onto his forehand before parting the Bee Sea and threading the ball like a needle in a haystack finding Karan Sofat on the rear post who bundled the ball in to equalise.
The second quarter saw Southgate resurgent pressing hard with Beeston set back which allowed Jack Middleton to drill a slap ball across the D which ricocheted off a Beeston foot for the 2nd Gate PC of the game. Foster on the first castle once again found his range which drew a sharp save from Hujman.
Allan Dick proved his mettle once again with an extradorinaiy diving roly poly save from a Beeston PC, which mis trapped found its way to captain George Griffith who sending it across goal saw it deflected well by Robbie Gleeson only for Dick to showcase his acrobatics on the goal line and with a high kick from prostate position on the turf cleared the Gate lines as the teams went in with nothing to separate them at the half.
The deadlock remained intact until the 56th minute when Guilio Ferrini was judged to have blocked an attempt on goal and a penalty flick awarded to Beeston converted with clinical disdain past Croft into the right corner. The deficit tested Southgate’s resolve but after 8 minutes if intensive work in both D’s secured a final PC which Foster drove down the line with a pitch perfect execution beating Hujman and finding the crucial equaliser.
The end game with some hard won work off the ball and the final whistle ended in stale mate with coach Huw Stevens’ unbeaten in their second successive game. A hard won point that could easily have been 3. Southgate created the chances but still lacking the composure needed to really challenge the top sides at this level. This result should see confidence build further after their Bowdon win and they will need that and more as they head across London for a big away fixture against league challengers Surbiton on Saturday night.
Southgate’s Karan Sofat beats Toby Stanley of Beeston. Beeston v Southgate – EHL Men’s Premier Division at Nottingham Hockey Centre, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK on 26 October 2024.
Photo by Simon Parker/SP Action Images