Oxton hockey club’s first team win twice in busy weekend

Jan 19 2011 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

OXTON hockey club men’s first team had two games in the Northern Premier League this weekend with a tough away trip to league leaders Preston followed by a home game versus Hull, writes Dave Bailey.

At Preston Oxton’s back four proved a formidable barrier to break down, Huw Collins having an excellent game, and Preston’s best chances came through short corners.

However, their failure to convert them was primarily due to the superb goalkeeping of Olly Green enjoying his best game of an excellent season.

Whilst Oxton defended doggedly, the midfield and forwards stretched Preston and an excellent period of pressure saw Oxton take the lead – Ali McKenzie hit a perfect cross to Ali Parkes who finished expertly.

McKenzie then found space in the area and hammered home a trademark goal to double Oxton’s lead and finish deserved 0-2 winners.

On Sunday, Oxton largely dominated proceedings against Hull, although the visitors scored first after some careless Oxton defending. However, the home team showed good character and forced their way back into the game: Huw Collins equalised with a drag flicked short corner, and then took the lead when Sam Cooke’s telling through ball was deftly finished by Anto Rawlinson.

Oxton stepped up a gear in the second half, putting Hull’s defence under severe pressure and put the result beyond doubt with Gordon Moore’s two short corner goals.

Oxton’s fifth was the goal of the game: Matt Couttie on a rare venture into midfield picked out Jonathan Hodgkinson with a fine pass, and Hodgkinson’s killer ball into the Hull area was met by Cooke, timing his run to perfection to deflect the ball past Hull’s keeper. Hull scored late on, but it finished a resounding 5-2 victory for Oxton.