OXFORD UNIVERSITY 3

SEVENOAKS 3

South League Premier 1

IF Sevenoaks still hold any hopes of promotion this season, then Saturday's clash with table-toppers Richmond is a must win.

Tim Warrington's side lie five points off the South League pacesetters and know defeat will all but spell the end of their challenge.

They took a point off Oxford University at the weekend – in a thrilling 3-3 draw – but as they enter the business end of the season, wins are a must.

"We're five behind at the moment – if we lose, it's eight," Warrington said. "There are still seven games to go, but the points difference will be too much to overhaul. It's in our minds that we are behind them and have nothing to lose. They are the ones with points to lose. We are keen to put in a performance and if we win, that gap will be down to two. We know that if we don't win, then it is unlikely we'll get promotion this season."

Sevenoaks travelled to Oxford on Saturday looking to get back on track after a disappointing defeat the previous week to Old Georgians. They faced a well-organised and energetic university side coached by former Olympian John Shaw.

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.

Oxford took the lead as an unmarked forward finished smartly after a cross from the right-hand side.

This setback 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 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 two occasions, but at the third time of asking, the Oxford captain outfoxed Dakin, fizzing one into the top corner for 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, giving away a penalty corner after only 30 seconds.

Dakin, though, was in superb form as he again repelled the Oxford effort and kept Oaks in the game.

Sevenoaks re-shuffled and they began to make inroads in the Oxford half. 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 a post and flash across the goal-line to safety.

Moments later, Sevenoaks would gain another corner, but this time Thomas' initial effort was saved by the keeper, although Warrington was on hand to pounce on the rebound and level things up at 2-2.

Thomas cleared an Oxford shot off the goal-line, but then Oaks enjoyed a period of sustained pressure, and another goal seemed inevitable. 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 slotted it into the empty net, putting the visitors 3-2 up.

Sevenoaks had a couple of chances to finish off the game, but were unable to take them.

With five minutes to go, a quickly taken free-hit in the middle of the pitch enabled Oxford to outnumber the Oaks defence.

Despite Dakin again saving well from the first effort, the spare Oxford forward was able to roll the ball in to equalise. Saturday's game begins at Hollybush Lane, 1.30pm.

In a day of bumper hockey action at Hollybush, the ladies begin the second half of their season against St Albans, 12noon.