Saxons fall to reinforced East Grinstead.

Although bolstered by the vocal travelling support of our Ladies 2nd XI our Mens 3rd XI found themselves under pressure from a strong East Grinstead side.

Much of the first half was 'end-to-end' with both teams securing scant opportunities in front of goal.

A breakaway attack from EG was met with a superb mid air save by Richard Harvey that deflected a goal bound shot wide.

Saxons returned fire when a goal bound shot, initially saved by the EG keeper, continued to bobble toward goal and was subsequently cleared off the line by a defender.

East Grinstead responded with another break away attack that ended with a penalty corner on the half time whistle. Saxons penalty corner defence of Harvey, Davies, Buss, Chapman and Coleman dealt well with the situation and the resulting pressure saw EG put the ball wide of the goal.

A number of missed infringements in the first half frustrated Saxons who went into the half time break 0-0. The talk was to keep the pressure on and of less chat to the umpires.

Saxons started the second half well and found a foot in the D to win a penalty corner, from which Jules Buss hit the backboard with a powerful shot from the top of the D. With the score at 0-1 EG were unsettled and it was not long before Saxons had another string of penalty corners resulting in another shot from Buss that unfortunately pinged off the post.

EG found their composure and mounted a sustained attack into the Saxons half. Davies back from injury was particularly impressive frequently dispossessing the EG left winger and moving the ball back upfield. The continued pressure told when Paul Merison made an untidy challenge in the Saxons 23m that lead to a penalty corner. EG capitalised from this and slipped the ball left for a player to level the score at 1-1.

As fatigue set in, Saxons pushed for a second goal. EG sensed the urgency and gave their players instruction to close down aerial balls to prevent Saxons from beating the EG press. It was not long before an over zealous EG number 42, who was not at 5 metres when the ball was played, tried to charge down a Saxons free hit and received an aerial ball to the face. The blooded player left the field for treatment before play continued.

Some good interplay from EG found a Saxons foot in the D. The penalty corner was taken by EG who fumbled the ball at the top and slipped to the left for one of their forwards to reverse stick the ball high and wide of the post. Keeper Harvey who had the post covered watched the airborne ball heading wide before the injector played a dangerous tennis shot at chest height into the visitors net. A controversial goal was given and fired up Saxons who did not want to leave empty handed.

EGs' changed style of play stretched Saxons and they found their number 21 on the Saxons penalty spot, who rather than cleanly slot the ball home tried to turn Merison and 'showboat' with a reverse stick shot. Merison capitalised on the forwards mistake and cleared the ball before the player could make contact.

The last four minutes of the game were all Saxons with EG trying every trick in the book to prevent Saxons getting an equaliser. Ed Stroud's quickly taken self passes on free hits being closed down from less than 5 metres twice in a row by EG's number 2 resulting in a green card.

With EG down to 10 men, play restarted with another free hit with Stroud finding more of the same from another EG midfielder who broke down play twice once outside the 23m and once inside. Saxons were surprised at the inconsistency that the second player did not receive a card, or that the breakdown was not punished with a penalty corner.

The final whistle came and the game finished 1-2 with the battered Saxons feeling that the score did not reflect their team effort.

Saxons: Harvey, Buss, Coleman, Davies, Kemsley, Stroud, Chapman, Simmons, Merison, Whitaker, Dyas, Whitmore.