Hockey

City's mistakes punished

Two early goals proved crucial as Pelicans condemned Norwich City to their fourth defeat in five games in the Premier B Division.

City never recovered from going two goals down within the first four minutes.

Pelicans' first came when skipper Pete Morgan mis-controlled on the goalline while the second followed a well executed short corner.

On the half hour mark Pelicans were three to the good after another mis-controlled ball, this time by defender Chris Perry.

City missed a couple of opportunties to reduce the arrears but within four minutes of the restart were rewarded with a penalty stroke when Morgan was brought down. Perry duly converted.

City had a spell of good possession during which Jonny Knight missed a short corner opportunity and Mark Sibson had two good chances.

Pelicans then killed the match off with two goals in the last 10 minutes.

On target for the King's Lynn side were Iain Page, Seth Walpole, Sam Kent (2) and Ian Simmons.

Harleston Magpies II won their fifth game of the season, beating Cambridge Nomads 6-2 to go top of the section.

The scoring was opened when Dave Francis swept in off the keeper after the intial shot from Will Martin was saved. A well worked penalty corner was then converted by Dan Legg from a cross from Lawrence Baynes.

Nomads pulled one back but a third goal was added from a penalty corner break down, when Hamish Barton's shot hit the cross bar and Ben Wright swept in the rebound. In the second half goals from Robbie Kinsella (2), Rich Ling and Lawrence Baynes completed the scoring.

Dereham were once again left wondering what they have to do to earn their first points of the season in Premier A after unluckily losing 2-1 at home to leaders St Albans.

Mark Hunter and Richard Timm were key figures at the back, limiting St Albans attempts, and their defences weren't breached until the closing stages of the first half.

There was controversy just on half-time when St Albans were given an opportunity to re-take a broken down short corner. As they lined up for their second attempt, the half-time whistle blew, and from the short corner the visitors won a penalty stroke, which was converted, despite the efforts of goalkeeper Tom Vaughan.

The second half followed much the same pattern as the first, with Dereham soaking up pressure and countering at pace.

They were eventually rewarded with five minutes to go when they were awarded a short corner which Andy Lawrence drove low across the goal for Michael Timm to slide in and deflect past the St Albans keeper, to set up an exciting finish to the game.

Dereham pressed for an equaliser but St Albans held out for their fourth win in five matches.

Wisbech, like Dereham, are still looking for their first points of the season. They took their goals tally for the season up to a respectable 14 on Saturday, but have now conceded 27 after a 6-3 reverse at Crostyx.

Norwich City II finally got off the mark in Division 1N with a 9-1 thumping of fellow strugglers Vauxhall (Matt Brine 3, Dave Fletcher 2, Tom Hindle, Adie Land, Chris Key and Ben Cushion).

Dereham II recorded their first away victory for a year as they won 2-1 at Ely City in Division 2N. John Allison returned up front, having spent the last two weeks in goal, and had an immediate impact, thundering a first time shot past the opposition keeper.

After being pegged back the second half was a war of attrition but goals from Ian Gibb and Richard Waters saw Dereham home.

Norwich City III won 2-1 at Dereham IV in Division 4NE (James Hooper, Adi Marr) while City IV drew 2-2 with Harleston Magpies VI in Division 5NE (Richard Sparrow, Sam Matthews).