CONTRASTING EMOTIONS were felt by Olton & West Warwick’s first team after experiencing both the highs and lows of hockey last weekend.
Saturday’s 6-3 win over City of Peterborough at Grange Road was followed by a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Loughborough Students in Division One North of the Men’s Hockey League.
In the first of the two fixtures, Olton were in control of their re-arranged encounter and went ahead through Ollie Mason’s seventh-minute strike from open play.
Pete Jackson added a second five minutes later, before Peterborough reduced the arrears heading into the half-time break.
But with the visitors striking twice in the 36th and 39th minute, Olton suddenly found themselves behind.
An Oli Ward strike hauled the hosts level with 11 minutes to play, at which point his side put lowly Peterborough to the sword, with Josh Green, Mason and Martin Ebbage all scoring in the last eight minutes of play to secure the points.
The next day, Loughborough set out their stall early with a goal inside the opening minute – at which moment the hosts did not look back.
Holding a four-goal lead at the break, the Students added two more before Stu Pilgrim’s 43rd-minute consolation.
While a dry spell as far as goals were concerned followed, both sides were reduced to ten men, during which period Loughborough netted their seventh.
The latest results keep Olton fifth in the division, ahead of Saturday’s home meeting with University of Durham (2.30pm).
In Division One North of the Investec Women’s League, Olton and Gloucester City could not be separated in a 2-2 stalemate.
Kate Brough found the net with a fine strike on 13 minutes for Olton & WW, though a penalty corner goal from the visitors levelled the scores nine minutes later.
While the hosts were the better side, they were unable to make the most of the opportunities that fell their way.
A repeat scenario similar to the first half followed, with Naomi Church’s go-ahead goal cancelled out by another penalty corner, meaning fourth-placed Olton were forced to settle for a point.
Like the men’s team, the ladies also host University of Durham (Saturday, 12.30pm).
IN WEST Midlands Premier, Solihull Blossomfield’s first team were torn apart in a 7-0 blitz by Olton Thirds.
Despite proving a relative match to their opponents in the Midland Men’s League, Bloss were twice caught out on the counter attack before conceding a further time to trail 3-0 at half-time.
It was very much a non-contest in the second half though, as Bloss struggled to keep up with the free-scoring visitors, keeping them third bottom. Olton, meanwhile, remain fourth.
Bloss Seconds were ousted 4-2 by Harborne Fourths in South West Division One, despite putting up a decent fight against their high-flying hosts.
After a tight opening 15 minutes, Harborne ran riot to take a comfortable 3-0 lead into the break.
While Solihull turned the tide and reduced the arrears through Tim Horlsler’s penalty-corner hit and an Andy Rice stunner, Harborne struck at the death to confirm victory against their tenth-placed opponents.
Despite making a promising start against title challengers Ashby, Solihull Blossomfield Ladies were outdone in a narrow 2-1 defeat in Midland Region League Division One to continue their struggles.
An opening goal from Solihull’s Vicki Shuter occurred from a well-worked move from a short corner, a just reward for their early promise.
But as expected, Ashby responded with several chances and eventually took one of these after the break, before quickly adding a second in quickfire style.
Bloss drop down to eighth.
Blossomfield’s third string fared no better in Division Four of the Warwickshire League after an 8-2 thrashing by City of Birmingham Seconds.
Sian Musgreave-Spiby twice levelled for third-placed Solihull, before Birmingham ran away with the game in spite of goalkeeper Jane Rice’s best efforts.
