HOCKEY: A CONVINCING 9-2 victory over Warwick University saw Rugby & East Warwickshire edge three points clear at the top of the Midland League Division One table.
From the whistle, Rugby dominated possession with Warwick University making careless mistakes and their opponents capitalised.
Dan Harris opened the scoring by hitting the ball under the keeper’s legs before Tom Robson got his first of the match with a simple tap in at the far post.
The ever impressive Szymon Oszyjczyk got on the scoresheet twice in the opening period with one of his goals coming from a trademark drag flick and both were separated by Henry Harrison scoring with a reverse shot from an acute angle.
Even though Warwick University scored from a short corner they still seemed to have no life within them as Rugby held a comfortable 5-1 lead at the break.
The second half continued in the same fashion and it was not long before Tom Robson grabbing his hat-trick with a second half brace.
Stuart Jones scored a screamer into the top left-hand corner of the goal and Chris Graham got in on the act too with a deflection off a short corner.
Warwick University scored from a scrappy short corner as Rugby began to lose shape late on but the damage had already been inflicted.
Elsewhere, for the second week running Rugby’s second team put in a spirited performance but were beaten 4-1 by Loughborough Students and the third team lost 6-1 to the same opponents, with Gaz Unett getting Rugby’s only goal.
The fourth team lost 4-1 away at Beeston and the sixth ream were beaten 2-0 at home to Loughborough Town but there was better news for the fifth team who comfortably dispatched West Bridgford 5-1 with both Josh Dixon and Jack Fisher bagging a brace and Matty Carter got the fifth.
In the ladies section the first team came away from Bridgnorth with a comfortable 5-0 win with Nicki Siarbawa scoring twice, but the result of the day went to the second team who beat Birmingham Wasps 7-3 to move up to sixth in the table.
Rugby’s under-18s showed they can hold their nerve after beating Saffron Waldon 4-2 on penalty flicks following a gruelling contest that finished 1-1 after normal time.
Rugby soaked up an extraordinary amount of pressure throughout the game and found it difficult to play out of their half.
Rugby’s goal came late in the first half when some patient build up play lead to a good ball finding Tom Carter near the top of the D and waltzed in unchallenged and calmly converted.
The second half proved to be a defensive test with an array of fouls from both sides and Thomas Webb made several vital saves before Simon Allan, Tom Robson, Calum Mackay and Luke Armstrong scored in the shootout.
