CRUSADERS returned to the summit of Rathbones Jersey Hockey Men’s League Division 1 on Saturday, after grinding out a 2-1 victory over Hautlieu.
It has been a quiet few days for competitive local hockey after the excitement of last week’s England Hockey Championship fixtures on top of a flurry of grassroots action.
In the only top-flight action of the weekend, and with both sides missing key players, it was last year’s runners-up who bagged the three points after a tight 70 minutes.
“It was a gritty performance from us,” said Crusaders’ captain Tom Millar, who was “delighted” with the result, “We really had to work hard for those three points and that’s always really satisfying.
“[Hautlieu] are a good team and they have already achieved some solid results this season, particularly beating JHC Leopards, so we knew getting three points off them would be no easy task.”
“Gritty” indeed it was for Millar’s men as Hautlieu had the best opportunity to take the lead in the opening 15 minutes, Joe Dias won a penalty stroke after rounding goalkeeper Anthony Davies.
Fortunately for the boys in blue, Tiaan Kruger struck the post from the spot, leaving the match goalless.
Crusaders played the next five minutes with ten players, as defender Jonny Heward served a five-minute suspension for his part in the concession of the stroke.
Despite the hardship, Tom Millar gave his team the lead courtesy of a reverse stick effort from the first penalty corner of the game.
Mike James doubled Crusaders’ advantage in the second period, following a superb solo effort from the halfway line, but Rupert Lee bundled home Hautlieu’s first goal with just eight minutes to play to set up a potential grandstand finish.
Hautlieu applied all the pressure in the dying stages and won their first penalty corner of the game with just 90 seconds to play. Kruger, who drag-flicks for the Island side, fired a rasping effort at the Crusaders goal, but Davies saved well to secure all three points for his team, taking them to the top of the table.
With the win, they have overtaken the defending champions OV Convicts. However, having played two more games than their counterparts, that could change.
Millar continued: “We finished as runners up last year to Convicts, and only a few weeks ago we lost to them.
“We are determined to give them a good run for their money again this time, so all the points we can get really help our cause.”
The only other fixture of the week was a Men’s League Division 2 clash where Olly Van Klaveren and Louis Le Poidevin gave Hunters a much-needed 2-1 win over Jersey Ladies 1st XI, overcoming the effort of Natacha Kay.
All eyes will be on Convicts in the next week of fixtures as they are set to face a struggling Victoria College 1st XI on Friday 8 November at 7pm, with the aim of catching up to Crusaders’ ten points, all with a game still in hand.
The weekend following that mouth-watering affair also features a myriad of local hockey action, so pop down to The Clubhouse at Les Quennevais if you are interested.
