Fixture

Sevenoaks travelled to Oxford on Saturday looking to get back on track after a disappointing defeat the previous week to Old Georgians.  They faced the university side coached by former Olympian John Shaw and knew that they would be facing a well organised and energetic side.  Oaks struggled to get to grips with the Oxford pitch in the first half, sloppily surrendering possession on numerous occasions, and this enabled the students to boss the majority of the opening exchanges.  Eventually the pressure would pay off and Oxford took the lead as an unmarked forward was able to finish smartly after a cross from the right hand side.  This galvanised Sevenoaks and the Kent side began to play themselves back into the game.  A nice move involving Stuart Pitu, Tim Warrington and Grant Sykes ended with Rob Hemingway deflecting Sykes’s shot past the helpless Oxford goalkeeper to bring the sides level at 1-1.  However, as half time approached Oxford were awarded a string of penalty corners, Giles Dakin did excellently to deny the league’s top scorer Adam Jordan on 2 occasions, but at the third time of asking the Oxford captain outfoxed Dakin, fizzing one into the top corner to make the score 2-1 to Oxford at the interval.

 

In spite of some stern words from player-coach Richard Payne at the half-time break, Oaks made a very poor start to the 2^nd period, giving away a penalty corner after only 30 seconds.  Dakin though was in superb form as he once again repelled the Oxford effort, and kept Oaks in the game.   Sevenoaks reshuffled and the positional changes seemed to work as they began to make inroads in the Oxford half.  Some excellent play by Linden Lockhart earned Oaks a penalty corner, and Joel Thomas unleashed a fierce, low drag-flick past the Oxford keeper, only to see it strike the inside of the post and flash across the goal-line to safety.  Moments later Sevenoaks would gain another corner, once again Thomas was called upon; this time his initial effort was saved by the keeper, but Warrington was on hand to pounce on the rebound to level things up at 2-2.  Oxford came straight back at Oaks and were unlucky not to re-take the lead as Thomas cleared an Oxford shot off the goal-line.  Oaks then enjoyed a period of sustained pressure, and another goal seemed inevitable, and it came when the Oxford defender was robbed of possession in his own half, the ball broke to Lockhart who drove into the D and struck a reverse stick shot, which was well saved by the keeper, but the ball fell to Pitu, who calmly slotted it into the empty net to put the visitors 3-2 up.  Sevenoaks had a couple of chances to finish off the game, but were unable to take them, and with 5 minutes to go, a quickly taken free-hit in the middle of the pitch enabled Oxford to outnumber the Oaks defence, and despite Dakin again saving well from the first effort, the spare Oxford forward was able to roll the ball in to equalise.  There would be no further goals and the full time score was 3-3, leaving Oaks 5 points behind leaders Richmond who visit Hollybush Lane at 1.30pm on Saturday.  In what could be a pivotal game in the title race, the action is sure to be top notch and all spectators are welcome