Southgate 1 Firebrands 1
English Hockey League Division One


Two broken noses, missed open goals and two sending-offs were the flashpoints of this exciting clash between the division's top and bottom teams.

Those watching on Sunday had difficulty knowing who was top and who was bottom, as Southgate, who were propping up the table following a 6-1 thumping by Belper last week, managed to hold the league leaders, and should have beaten them.

While both sides had chances, Southgate had more, and better ones. Four golden opportunities went begging, two of them open goals Ali Cotton and John Bell being the guilty men.

Australian Baeden Choppy, back from injury, gave Southgate the lead after 24 minutes, making space in the circle to turn and reverse-hit low past the keeper.

Firebrands struck back ten minutes later, clearing the ball from defence to their left winger, who got past the last Southgate defender too easily and finished well.

Firebrands stepped up a gear in the second half and the game became quite physical. Matthew Grinham, Southgate's captain, was the first to come off worse from a clash of heads. He had to leave the pitch for treatment, returning after several minutes, but will need to have his nose reset.

A much more serious clash between Firebrands' Roly Ward and Paul Boltwood left Ward with a badly broken nose, and Boltwood with a cut to the head.

A frantic last ten minutes or so was littered with stick tackles and cards, and both Choppy and Paul Livesey were yellowed in the last minute, too late to give Firebrands the chance to exploit a two-man advantage.

Southgate moved off the foot of the table following the draw, and are home to Doncaster on Saturday, who now occupy the bottom spot.