After the elongated Christmas break (the longest in memory) Southgate Men resume their Premier Division campaign on Sunday against East Grinstead with a 14:00 PB at EG Sports Club.
Phase 2 sees Southgate competing for a place in the top 8 for phase 3 and they have 5 games in which to show what the side has been promising it is capable of. Looking back over the Phase 1 games, the East Grinstead away game which took place on 25th October was one where the 1-1 draw flattered Huw Stevens side. Some heroic defending and Erdal Demir in fine form in the Southgate goal helped repel multiple East Grinstead attacks following Fergus Jackson putting the home side in front after 42 minutes. James Hickson converted a late PC to level the score and take the point.
Southgate come into this game with a goal keeping change in the form of Allan Dick replacing the absent Erdal Demir with Joe Hillyer rejoining the side along with the New Zealand player Xavier Guy who missed the first game. Mo Gandhi and Nat Farrant are both missing the game with injury. The pre season games have shown the growth of the squad – and the elongated break has helped re-energise the players after a frenetic first 11 games through the Autumn.
Although East Grinstead are on paper likely to offer the stiffest test of Phase 2- the team come into the contest confident and enjoying their hockey. East Grinstead meanwhile finished just one point shy of making it into the top 6- sat on 12 points to Southgate’s 8 and a positive goal difference of 11 on Southgate (-16 to -27). The Wes Jackson side certainly won’t make it easy for Huw Stevens players – yet what remains to seen is who has enjoyed the most productive period over the past months- and who can take their chances when they fall. It is set to be a great contest and East Grinstead are always great hosts.
The game starts at 14:00pm at East Grinstead Sports Club