The M1s began their league campaign on Sunday, welcoming Oxford Hawks to Trent Park, and it ended with the honours shared in a 2-2 draw.
Southgate v Oxford Hawks – Men’s Hockey League Division 1 South at Southgate Hockey Centre, Trent Park, London, UK on 26 September 2021. Photo by Simon Parker/SP Action Images
Southgate started slowly, with Hawks on top in the first quarter, opening the scoring in the sixth minute via a Jack Biggs penalty corner. The second quarter belonged to Southgate as they came out fired up, which was rewarded in the nineteenth minute when Tom Barratt got the equaliser at a penalty corner, his toma finding the back of the net after the initial shot was saved by Chris Price in the Hawks goal.
Southgate v Oxford Hawks – Men’s Hockey League Division 1 South at Southgate Hockey Centre, Trent Park, London, UK on 26 September 2021. Photo by Simon Parker/SP Action Images Southgate v Oxford Hawks – Men’s Hockey League Division 1 South at Southgate Hockey Centre, Trent Park, London, UK on 26 September 2021. Photo by Simon Parker/SP Action Images
The third quarter was more of the same with Southgate dominating possession, going 2-1 up after a Charles Hamilton shot from an acute angle was saved by Price, the deflection going high above the crossbar where Giulio Ferrini was on had to smash the ball home.
Southgate v Oxford Hawks – Men’s Hockey League Division 1 South at Southgate Hockey Centre, Trent Park, London, UK on 26 September 2021. Photo by Simon Parker/SP Action Images Southgate v Oxford Hawks – Men’s Hockey League Division 1 South at Southgate Hockey Centre, Trent Park, London, UK on 26 September 2021. Photo by Simon Parker/SP Action Images
Into the last quarter, and a nervous affair as Southgate sought to close out the match, with Callum Swinnerton-Ions and Sim Bird both missing opportunities to extend the lead. Hawks won a penalty corner in the fifty third minute thanks to good team work between the umpires, and Biggs stepped up to claim his second and the equaliser.
Southgate now face a difficult trip to TBB on Sunday with a depleted squad thanks to injury and some postponed weddings.