The Hawks Men’s 1st XI had their worst start to a game in living memory, as Worthing, clearly not feeling the effects of the drive up from the South Coast, found the home side half asleep in the opening 10 minutes, to score 3 quick goals and set the tone for the half. 3-0 up, Worthing were cruising, and The Hawks looked shell shocked. A miserable half of hockey.

A stern talking to at half time and a strong message that clearly sank in, The Hawks responded, opening their account for the afternoon after less than 2 minutes of the second half. A great attacking move started by Joe James saw Joe Jones released at the top of the D to fire the ball goalward for a neat deflection by Lawrence Oldham. Where had this team been hiding for the first 35 minutes? Now showing signs of life, and with a route back into a game that seconds before looked to have already been over, The Hawks pressed Worthing from their push back, and hit them again. Hard. 14 seconds later The Hawks had a 2nd, with Joe James involved again, this time finding Alex Taylor in acres of space in the D to fire coolly past the keeper. With Worthing rocked, The Hawks were now the team in the ascendency, and the only team that looked like they would score again. And 10 minutes later they did. In a near exact mirror of the time it had taken for the Hawks to totally capitulate at the start of the first half, they had done the same to their opposition in the second. The Hawk’s third came after great vision from Joe Jones, who took a quick free hit from just outside the 25, fired straight at Skipper, Matthew Chappell, who deflected past the keeper on his reverse.

Having drawn level, and completely turned the game on its head, it was there for The Hawk’s to take the win, but they couldn’t find that all important fourth to break the deadlock.

“If you had asked me before the game, anything but a win here would have felt like a failure, but come half time, I’d have bitten your hand off for a point”, said The Hawk’s Skipper after the match. “So we haven’t come away with the win that we would have expected here today, but we can at least be assured of our ability to turn a game on its head, and know that we can always turn a game around, no matter how bleak things may seem. I’m pleased with my boys today, and choosing to focus on the positives of our second half performance.”