Streatham edge past Bracknell in SW16

Missing the suspended Scott Bailey and looking tired from a nervy road win in Slough twenty four hours earlier, the hosts started the game lethargically and paid the price. A breakaway goal from David Millner put the visitors ahead as he rounded Damien King before roofing the puck on the backhand.

It took Streatham ten minutes to equalise through Captain Michael Farn. The blueliner taking a mazy skate through the Bracknell defence before rounding the back of the net and jamming home his own rebound past Tom Annetts in the Bracknell goal.

Play continued from end to end with both sides struggling to carve out any real quality in the final third.

The second period promised more of the same, however Farn continued to be a presence and put his team ahead with less than seven minutes remaining to the interval. Adam Carr was the architect as he laid the puck up to the blue line before Farn followed up his one timer, by jamming the puck past the stranded Annetts.

Streatham extended their lead to 3-1 at the beginning of the third as Danny Ingoldsby finished in front of goal after good work from Luke Brittle.

Despite this, Annetts stood firm and made a number of saves, before Tamas Elias fired past King at the other end, poking in a rebound from a Michael Stratford shot to reduce the deficit to one goal.

The visitors had their tails up but Streatham, as they have been so often in the third period's of games, kept pushing forward. The crucial fourth came from Brittle, as he circled across the slot and found the far corner of the net to the delight of the home support.

The game ended with a second win in 48 hours for the RedHawks and now leaves them just a win at Solent away next weekend from being crowned as league champions for the first time in decades.

Tickets for Sunday’s home game against Chelmsford are now on sale: http://ticket.streatham-hockey.co.uk/e/44/streatham-v-chelmsford

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