HOCKEY: A HEAVY 4-1 defeat at home to Bowdon looks to have put a downer on Olton & Warwickshire’s season with just one game to go in the Conference North.
Last week the men’s first team drew 4-4 with Preston and they knew that a win on Saturday would cement their second place finish, but they had it all to do without the services of player-coach Mark Wadsley, who was missing due to work commitments.
Bowdon had lost 4-0 the previous week but they were in no mood to taste defeat this time around.
Wadsley’s influence was clearly missed with Olton finding themselves 3-0 down and with it all to do at the midway point in the match, with two goals coming at the end of the first half.
Dan Sulway gave Olton hope in 64th minute as he converted a penalty corner, but Bowden hit back five minutes later and tied up the points and almost certainly second place.
This weekend Olton are away at bottom-placed Leek and they will be hoping that Bowden slip up at home to Oxton who are one place above Leek.
There was an unfamiliar feeling for the ladies who tasted back-to-back defeats after losing out 3-1 in Swansea.
Just like the men’s team, the ladies found themselves 3-0 down by half-time with all of Swansea’s goals coming during a nine minute spell.
In a striking comparison, a fourth goal also came in the 64th minute through Harriet Payne but it was too little too late and they will be looking to bounce back to winning ways at home to Exeter at 12pm.
A win will guarantee Olton fourth spot and if results go their way they could finish the season in third position.
