Cannock pick up chase

HOCKEY

BY BILL COLWILL

Cannock, who lost their season's unbeaten record last Sunday and are eighth in the First Division of the National League, could make up ground on the leaders this weekend and, with two wins, could be top by tomorrow evening.

Today they visit Surbiton, who led for the first half of the season, then tomorrow they are away to Canterbury. But the Midlands club will need to show more discipline than at Teddington last Sunday.

The leaders, Old Loughtonians, are at home to second-placed Teddington tomorrow in what could be a high-scoring game. Hounslow, who make the long trek to Hull without their internationals Crutchley, Potter and Hazlitt, will also be missing their centre-half, David Main, and full-back Mark Kirkland owing to business commitments.

Third-placed Guildford, whose corner specialist, Ian Jennings, is expected to have recovered from an ankle injury, line up against Reading, where Paddy Osborne will be in opposition.

It is a desperate weekend for Slough. They travel to Bristol today to play Firebrands who, although two points worse off, have two games in hand. Tomorrow Slough entertain Trojans - three points above them. If the Buckinghamshire club are to escape the drop for the second successive year, they desperately need six points from the weekend.

St Albans, after their disappointing foray into the European Indoors last weekend, return outdoors with a home game against the Second Division leaders, Brooklands, one point ahead but having played two more games than Saints.

Brooklands' captain, Martyn Grimley, is suspended, having been sent off in a Cheshire Cup game, while St Albans miss Graham Day, sent off in their defeat by Beeston two weeks ago.