Hockey: Graham moves Oxford up another degree: National League newcomers turn on the style in the University challenge

Bill Colwill
Thursday 13 January 1994 00:02 GMT
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London University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

Oxford University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

WAYNE GRAHAM, South Africa's captain who later this month leads his country in a three-match Test series against the Netherlands in Johannesburg, scored four goals in Oxford Universty's 7-0 win against London University in their annual fixture yesterday.

Oxford, without seven squad players, emphasised the gap that is growing between themselves and other universities since they joined the National League this season. The corresponding Nastro Azzurro South League match last season ended in a 1-1 draw.

Yesterday they hit the post twice and scored twice in the opening nine minutes through Graham and Chris Bloor and, with Martin Le Huray returning to haunt his former university, they were always in control, creating countless opportunities. They even managed to play the last 15 minutes without their captain, Steffan Griffiths, who departed with a hamstring strain.

Bloor also collected a second and Le Huray converted a penalty corner - his only successful one from 14 attempts, a point which will have not gone unnoticed by the coach, Gavin Featherstone.

Duncan Hill and Matthew Munro were the pick of an overworked London defence.

LONDON UNIVERSITY: S Dodson (Imperial); D Hill (King's), M Munro (UCL, capt), P Meakin (King's), P Brady (King's), Z Yousuf (LSE), J Simpson (UCL), M Johnston (UCLMS), J Stather (King's), I Baxter (Kings), B Goffinet (UCL). Substitutes used: D Wright (UCL) and R Kershaw (UCL).

OXFORD UNIVERSITY: O Wesseley (Worcester); A Khan (Christchurch), S MacKay (Pembroke), J Wyatt (Corpus Christi), J Pratt (University), C Bloor (Keble), S Griffiths (University, capt), W Graham (Keble), G Edwards (Lincoln), D Edwards (St Edmunds Hall), M Le Huray (Keble).

Umpires: K Harrison and D Thomson (SCHUA).

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