Oxton Hockey Club’s men’s first team dominate but only draw with Brooklands in final home match of the season

Mar 23 2011 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

OXTON Hockey Club men’s first team entertained Brooklands on Saturday in their final home game of the season – but in a game they dominated they only managed a 2-2 draw.

The match encapsulated Oxton’s season, with a host of missed goal-scoring opportunities and silly defensive mistakes.

They started the game well pinning Brooklands back and deservedly took the lead after five minutes when Ali McKenzie slotted home after a good save from the visiting keeper following a short corner.

Despite continuing pressure, Oxton failed to add to their early lead through a combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing.

They were not helped by the hamstring pull sustained by top goalscorer Gordon Moore who was restricted to a defensive role.

Towards the end of the half, Brooklands won several short corners but these were well defended, Sam Cooke especially getting out quickly to block the strikes.

In the second period Oxton continued to set up and squander chances.

After 10 minutes and against the run of play, the visitors equalised; with Oxton pressing Cooke’s pass out of defence was intercepted and the Brooklands forward finished well.

Despite their continuing territorial advantage Oxton failed to score until the last five minutes when youngster Joe Hillyer, who had his best game of the season, at last showed the more senior players how to finish, blasting in from the edge of the area.

The game appeared won when, not for the first time this season, sloppy passing in defence in the last minute gifted the visitors possession and in the ensuing goalmouth scramble they forced home an equaliser.