Hockey: Graham fires up holders

Oxford University . . . .5

Cambridge University. . .0

OXFORD, as expected, won the 94th University Match on the Heineken Astro at Reading yesterday. It was their fourth successive win against a Cambridge side which could not match them in terms of individual skills.

The game was never in doubt after the opening goal, in the second minute, when Wayne Graham brushed aside the Cambridge defence to score with a well-placed shot into the roof of the net.

Graham set Martin Le Huray up for the first of his three goals in the 19th minute. His second gave Oxford a 3-0 interval lead. The former Teddington striker completed his hat-trick from a penalty corner two minutes into the second half.

Oxford's fifth goal was a classic solo effort from Graham. The South African captain worked his way down the right wing before shooting from the narrowest of angles to score the day's most memorable goal.

If there was a Dark Blue weakness it was their corner drill, just one conversion from 12 attempts, otherwise they dominated from the full-backs to the fast, evasive running of Le Huray and Dan Edwards with the captain, Steffan Griffiths, dominating the midfield.

OXFORD: O Wessely (Worcester); * P Bell (Lincoln); * R Markham (Worcester); R MacDowel (St Benet's Hall), J Pratt (University); C Bloor (Keble), * S Griffiths (University, capt), * G Edwards (Lincoln); * W Graham; M Le Huray (both Keble), D Edwards (St Edmund Hall). Substitutes used: A Khan (Christ Church), * S Mackay (Templeton).

CAMBRIDGE: D Lynch (Gonville & Caius); * J Stott (Holmerton); S Padfield (Gonville & Caius), * A Walther (Trinity), * R Cake; * T McCarthy (both St John's), * C Carter (Girton), * J Foley (St John's); R Stevens (Hughes Hall), * M Carver (Corpus Christi, capt), * D Bolgar (Homerton). Substitute used: W Ashworth (Emmanuel). * denotes Blue.

Umpires: S Crisp (SCHUA) and M Yorke (MCHUA).