Crostyx 2nds 1, Thurrock 1sts 3 HOCKEY: It was a tough game to start the season in NE14HOCKEY Division 3SE for the Men’s 1s, after a long summer off.

It was Crostyx who scored first as they broke quickly down the right wing, leaving Thurrock defence outnumbered as the Crostyx striker chipped the ball over the goalkeeper, Andy Gaut, as he tried to close him down.

Thurrock then started to respond by putting the Crostyx defence under a lot of pressure; their goalkeeper just keeping them in the game as the first half ended.

Thurrock started the second half as they ended the first, with a centre midfield partnership of Jacob Agoro and ‘Man of the Match’ Nick Stapleton controlling the game and giving the Thurrock wingers and strikers lots of the ball as the pressure built up on their opponents.

This pressure then paid off as captain Steve Abbott scored from a well-worked short corner, levelling the score. Tommy Ing, Luke Danbrook and Jordan Salmon continued to stop any attack that come against them.

Thurrock’s pressure then paid off as the new boy, Christian Jenkins, put the ball into the bottom corner after a clever dummy from Michael Murray, to eventually bring Thurrock 2-1 up.

Thurrock then sealed the game after many close chances as Matt Gaut scored with not much of the goal to aim at. The local team finished with the perfect start to the season.

l This week the firsts are at home to University of Essex, 2 pm start