Despite having to make wholesale changes due to a number of players being unavailable, Saxons’ impressive form in recent weeks had the team in confident mood ahead of the game, but they were expecting a tougher test than in recent weeks against the team currently sitting in 4th place.

The game started at a fast pace, with both teams playing some good hockey. Brighton had brought a very strong side with them and eventually their pressure told and when a Brighton forward lost his man in the circle, he made no mistake from close range, slotting past a helpless returning Brock Smith in the Saxons goal. Going a goal behind seemed to spark Saxons into life, the team were starting to gel and their own passing hockey was beginning to cause Brighton problems now.

Coach Rob Whitehouse had been drafted in for the game, and he set a great example by hassling the Brighton defender into making an error. Whitehouse turned the ball over and played in captain James Bunday who drew the last defender before squaring the ball past the Brighton keeper to Ed Hooton, who was on hand to score his 3rd goal in as many games from close range.
The home team’s goal changed the game, Saxons were now pouring forward with regularity. Youngster Oliver Cornelius was making his debut and showed great energy on the left of midfield, while the returning Will Orr was threatening from the right. The midfield trio of Dom Ford, Andrew Orr & James Wilson were started to pull the strings and on the 20-minute mark, Wilson found Bunday with a slide-rule pass, the forward beat the on-rushing keeper before being fouled by the stopper - the skipper picked himself up and despatched the resultant penalty stroke to put his side 2-1 up.

Saxons had a cushion shortly after this thanks to a slick move, it was more great pressure – this time from Andrew Orr – that forced the Brighton defender into a mistake, the midfielder won the ball on the 25 yard line and found Whitehouse in the D who played a deft, one-touch lay-off to Bunday who picked ball up on the run, took who touch to control it before firing into the top corner.
Saxons then rounded off the first period in fine fashion when the ball broke to Will Orr through a crowd of players, the midfielder took a good touch before hammering the ball home from a narrow angle to score a fantastic goal and send the home side into the half time break 4-1 up.

The second half was a more even tussle, Brighton got a goal back early on but failed to really trouble the Saxons back line of Tim Pilbeam & Matt Stevens for much of the second period. Another debutant, Ben Coope was getting more involved down the Saxons left, linking well with Cornelius, Hooton and Bunday – Saxons were still threatening, Bunday was denied a hat-trick first by the post, and then by the keeper, Coope & Will Orr both also went close to extending Saxons’ lead.

With 5 minutes to go, Brighton threatened to spoil the day when they scored to make it 4-3, but Saxons saw the game out to come away with a valuable 3 points and continue the march towards promotion. Man of the Match was Oliver Cornelius, who excelled on debut and showed real promise for the future. Next week Saxons travel to third-placed Worthing 2s looking to build the gap between them.”