Southgate retake lead following their grand finale

Hockey

BILL COLWILL

Guildford's 2-1 win at home to East Grinstead in Saturday's only National League First Division game took them to the top for a night, thanks to goals from Ian Jennings and Don Williams. However, Southgate's four-goal burst in the last 10 minutes against Surbiton ensured that the 5-2 winners retook the lead yesterday.

Tom Sexton had twice put Surbiton in the lead before two goals from Bill Waugh and one each from Duncan Woods and Adrian Simons in that grand finale saw Southgate back on top of the league, their opening goal coming from Sean Kerry.

At Reading, Cannock saw two points, which would have given them the lead, slip away in an exciting game that ended 2-2. Chris Mayer was in sparkling form, the British winger opening the scoring before brilliantly setting up the second for Justin Piddock. Paddy Osborn converted a late penalty stroke and as Mayer sat out the last few minutes in the sin bin, Scott Ashdown glided home the equaliser at a penalty corner with just five minutes left.

Any hopes Old Loughtonians had of taking this year's title faded at Kidderminster, where they could only draw 3-3 with bottom club Stourport, three times coming from behind with full-back Ian Morrison getting the final equaliser with only three minutes remaining.

Teddington, the defending champions, suffered another setback, losing 1-0 to Barford Tigers. They now lie in 12th place, the cut-off point for next season's First Division. In the Second Division, Beeston - 3-1 winners at Hampstead - are 11 points ahead of the field.