HOCKEY: OLTON came from behind to thump Deeside Ramblers 5-1 and move to withing one point of second-placed Bowdon in the Conference North.
With the weather postponing five of Olton’s 12 matches at the weekend, including the ladies’ trip to Bristol, all eyes were on the men’s team who travelled to Chester on Sunday, while the second team played at the University of Birmingham.
The fixture between Olton and Deeside proved to be a very one-sided affair, with Olton running out 9-1 winners but this time around the home side proved to be much harder to break down.
The game started with Deeside taking the lead in the seventh minute with a goal from open play, but the lead lasted only four minutes before Martin Ebbage scored from a penalty corner.
Because they were not playing at their best it was 20 minutes before Olton took the lead when Steve Batten scored from another penalty corner to give his side a 2-1 lead at half-time.
The interval instructions were clear, take the game to Deeside and capitalise on their superior fire power, and Olton did just that after the break.
Three minutes into the second half Olton were 3-1 up after another goal from open play scored by Batten and as the team relaxed in almost total control, Jack Williams was able to score four goal from open play.
Despite now dominating the game it was another ten minutes before Martin Ebbage scored his second and Olton’s fifth, again from a penalty corner.
A 5-1 win leaves Olton comfortably in third place and with second place Bowden, succumbing to Durham as we did last week, Olton are now only one point behind them with a vastly better goal difference.
Olton’s second team managed to secure a 2-2 draw against the University of Birmingham with Ellis Owen scoring a brace.
Elsewhere, the men’s fourth team drew 2-2 with Harborne, while the sixth team drew 1-1 against Worcester.
In the ladies section, the third team beat Leamington 1-0 but the fourth team lost to Shipston 5-2.
