Hockey: Robinson treble sinks Southgate

KEN ROBINSON, Reading's New Zealand centre forward, shot Reading into a 4-0 interval lead with a first-half hat-trick at Southgate yesterday as Reading turned the tables on the Middlesex club who dethroned them on Friday night from their national indoor title.

Yesterday, with both sides minus key players through injury, Reading, bounced back with aggressive, flowing hockey and strong finishing.

Southgate came back in the second half with goals from Eiko Rott and Andrew Grimes, but Reading never looked likely to surrender and won 5- 2 with Mark Pearn scoring twice.

Premier leaders Canterbury maintained their two-point lead at the top following their 4-3 win away to East Grinstead with Paul Wicken scoring twice. Second placed Cannock defeated Old Loughtonians 6-2 including a couple of goals from captain Kalbir Takher. In the First Division, Surbiton scored a 3-1 win at Havant to lead by a point from Doncaster.