M1's give Uni the Blues

The M1's resumed their league campaign on Saturday following the mid-season break by avenging their only league defeat so far this season with an 8-2 thumping of local rivals Oxford University.  The game was virtually decided inside the first eight minutes, by which time Hawks had taken a 3-0 lead courtesy of two penalty corner strikes by Jack Biggs and an open play effort from Andy Watts.  The Blues pulled one goal back courtesy of a penalty corner strike of their own, before Watts scored with a cracker and Matt Woods added a fifth just before the half time break.

Hawks were slow out of the second half blocks and conceded a goal in the opening minute of the second period.  However, Biggs completed his hat-trick a minute later with a third penalty corner conversion and from that point on Hawks never looked back.  With solid performances from Kieran Roche and debutant Mike Cullimore, who joined the Club from National Prem side Reading during the mid-season break, Hawks comfortably repelled any threat from the students.  Ted Bennett fired the seventh with a clinical strike from the top of the circle before Watts completed the scoring and his hat-trick from a neat penalty corner move.

The M1's take on Horsham at BRN tomorrow (Sunday) to complete a double header weekend before some important business at London Edwardians next weekend.

Thanks to Clive Jones for the excellent photos.

Squad

Jack Biggs, Drew Blackburn, Tom Godding, Ted Bennett, Michael Cullimore, James Cutter, Ben Gregory, Ryan Hammond, Lewis Jowett, Chris Price, Ray Prince, Dominic Roche, Kieran Roche, Andy Watts, Matthew Wood

Player of the match: Jack Biggs

Scorers