Old Georgians Men's 1XI delivered a commanding 8-2 win against East Grinstead at St George's College, maintaining their unbeaten run in the Premier Division. While OGs' firepower proved too strong in the second half, East Grinstead made their mark with two goals, the first time they've scored against OGs in the Premier Division.
The match opened with a balanced intensity. Old Georgians edged ahead in the 16th minute as Sam Ward found the net with a well-taken field goal. The first quarter ended with OGs holding a narrow 1-0 lead, but East Grinstead showed no signs of backing down.
The second quarter saw a flurry of action. Just two minutes into the quarter, Liam Sanford converted a penalty corner in the 18th minute, extending OGs' lead to 2-0. However, East Grinstead responded quickly, as Louis Tipper scored an open-play goal in the 19th minute, cutting the deficit to 2-1. OGs struck again shortly afterwards, with Ward scoring his second goal of the match from a penalty corner in the 21st minute, bringing the score to 3-1. East Grinstead refused to be outdone, as Simon Faulkner netted a penalty corner in the 24th minute to make it 3-2, keeping the game within reach as both teams headed into halftime.
As the third quarter began, Old Georgians reasserted their dominance, with Ward completing his hat-trick in the 41st minute. He quickly followed with a fourth goal in the 44th minute, taking the score to 5-2 and putting the game further out of East Grinstead's reach.
OGs continued their assault in the final quarter. Alan Forsyth extended the lead by converting a penalty stroke in the 48th minute, while Ward capped off his performance with a fifth goal in the 58th minute from a penalty corner, bringing his tally for the day to five. Forsyth added another field goal in the 64th minute, sealing OGs' emphatic 8-2 victory.
Old Georgians' defence, anchored by international players Liam Sanford and David Ames, demonstrated resilience, rebuffing East Grinstead's advances throughout the game. Phil Roper controlled the pace in midfield, linking play effectively and maintaining OGs' dominance.
After the match, OGs Head Coach Ashley Jackson praised his team's performance, noting the challenge of playing against his brother Wesley's side. "We knew East Grinstead would come prepared and push us hard, especially with Wes leading them. They've been competitive this season, so we had to be ready from the start. This performance is another positive step as we continue to build our style of play," he remarked.
East Grinstead's Head Coach Wesley Jackson reflected on the experience of facing such a high-calibre opponent. "Playing OGs is a massive challenge, but it's also a valuable opportunity for us to grow. Scoring against them shows we're making progress, and the team is eager to use this experience as motivation for our upcoming games," he said.
Next, Old Georgians will travel to face Hampstead & Westminster, with a late 18:00 start at Paddington Recreation Ground. As the team continues its unbeaten run, it looks to sustain this momentum and further establish itself as the team to beat in the Premier Division.