Hockey: Depleted Cannock in attacking mode

Cannock, who coped with the absence of four players, their manager and their coach when they beat Havant, 5-1, last Sunday, travel to Southgate tomorrow with an unchanged side. The sixtet remain absent with leave - they are in Cagliari with Wales for the World Cup qualifying matches.

Cannock's Great Britain winger Chris Mayer was confident their all-out attacking play would bring home full points. "We intend to make it difficult for the boss on his return to change a winning side." Southgate last week beat East Grinstead, 4-3, and are also expected to field an unchanged side.

Reading will be without Paddy Osborn for their visit to Havant. Osborn, who last weekend became the first player to score 150 national league goals, has decided to quit at the top and instead will turn out this weekend for Purley in the Nastro Azzurro South Premier.

Simon Tapsall, Reading's coach, admitted that his side struggled and was beaten by a weakened Canterbury team last week. But he refuses to panic. "A lot of the players found it difficult coming back to domestic hockey after international commitments."

Tapsall says he plans to move the Great Britain full-back Jon Wyatt into the midfield tomorrow. The new signing Manpreet Kochar from Bournville, himself back from Under-21 duty, is expected to team up with Wyatt.

Barford Tigers' four-goal hero of their 6-4 win at Guildford last week, Dharminder Singh, is holidaying in India and will miss their game against Teddington.