HOCKEY

Cambridge University 3
Crostyx 3
(NE14HOCKEY East Division 1) CROSTYX men battled back from two goals down against Cambridge Univeristy to stay five points clear at the top of the table.

The result leaves the team needing just one more win from their remaining four games to seal promotion, and eight points to secure the title.

But a high-paced Cambridge Univerity side made it difficult for the understrength league leaders, who had Tim Watson, Rob McKay and Ross Hopkins all absent, while Matt Parsons and Wayne Bishop carried ankle injuries.

The game started with Styx earning a series of short corners which they were unable to take advantage, while Uni had the majority of possession and pressure.

It was from this that they opened the scoring, a neat move being completed with a neat finish from just inside the circle past a full stretched Neal Lofthouse in goal.

The hosts made it two within five minutes, Lofthouse bringing down an attacker before being beaten with the resulting penalty flick.

Crostyx began to work into some rhythm with Chris Julian distributing well and James Duck industrious in midfield to provide enough support for both defence and attack.

Gareth Ingram dribbled in from the right and beat the keeper, but couldn't find the power to finish on his reverse.

A switched short corner soon after was unlucky not to find the net as Ian Dunnett's deflection beat the keeper's attempt to save but caught his back-pad and slid agonisingly wide of the post.

Crostyx did manage to pull one back before half time, as more good stick work from Ingram down the right resulted in the ball breaking free in the circle for Nick Duck to firmly plant the ball into the corner of the goal for his eighth of the season.

In the second half, which was largely dominated by Styx, Nick Duck was unfortunate not to double his tally when a clever move from Demi Vassiliou on the by-line set him up barely three yards out from goal. But his reverse stick-flick somehow evaded the keeper and the crossbar.

But they did level the game when a through ball from Simon Blockley set Ingram free. The prolific marksman beat the last defender, rounded the keeper and blasted a reverse stick strike high into the net.

The pressure continued and Dunnett again came close from a short corner, this time the keeper managing to save the follow up flick with his head while lying on the ground.

Dunnett and Vassiliou were both then physically removed from the ball when through on goal, resulting in a green card and then yellow respectively for the home defenders.

While playing against ten men the visitors completed an amazing come back, taking the lead with less than ten minutes to go.

Uni failed to clear their lines, and when the ball broke in front of goal to Nick Duck, he calmly slid a square pass to beat the keeper where Bishop could apply the easy finish.

However, Styx made the mistake of sitting back and allowing Uni to force some pressure.

And they paid the price when, with just minutes remaining, the hosts to fire in a rebounded effort to snatch a draw.

Crostyx host fifth-place Brentwood on Saturday.

Crostyx: Lofthouse, Bishop, Julian, Blockley, Whitehead, J Duck, Oldfield, Vassiliou, N Duck, Ingram, Dunnett. Subs: Parsons, Stoneham.