Old Loughtonians Hockey Club's men’s league campaign faltered on Saturday when they failed to beat a plucky Bromley and Beckenham team, despite being ahead three times.
The season started well for Loughts with an opening day 6-5 win away at last year’s league leaders Richmond followed by a home 3-1 win against London Wayfarers last week.
Man of the match Tom Watson scored first this week and Loughts looked on course for another win, only for BromBeck to pull one back before halftime.
With the game level at 1-1, coach Lee Ible’s halftime talk encouraged a higher ball pace and quicker passing game.
They put that plan into action in the third quarter, scored a second goal through Tom Watson and looked as if they would take the game away from Bromley in the final quarter.
It was not to be, however. Loughts could not play to their previous weeks’ high standard and Bromley struck back with a short corner low into the left of the net.
Mark Loughrey, scoring his first league goal for Loughts, struck back to make it 3-2 with ten minutes to play but only for Bromley to draw level again with a replica short corner routine.
Elsewhere London Wayfarers defeated London Edwardians, so the point gained put Loughts top of the Conference East England Hockey table.
The men's second team away won 2-0 at Upminster and M3 Foresters won 12-2 at home to Upminster twos.
The M4 Academy won 3-2 against Braintree twos but the M5 Loppers lost by the same margin against Redbridge and Ilford twos.
The M6 Willows playing Redbridge & Ilford threes scored 10 and conceded 0 and the M7 Willows Woodsmen also had a good win 6-0 against Witham Academy.
The M8 Willows Rangers match was cancelled. M9 Willows Axemen lost narrowly 1-2 against Southend threes and the Supervets rounded off the afternoon winning 3-2 against Epsom Old School.
The ladies had a good day as well with the L2s winning 4-0 against Witham ones.
Both the L3s away against Southend and Benfleet twos and L4s at home against Waltham Forest fours drew 3-3.
The L5s continued their winning ways, beating Old Southendians fours by 7-0, but the L1s could not overcome a strong Norwich ones side and lost 2-4.
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