M1 Thrash Reading 10-1 On Opening Day

Surbiton Men gave Reading a night to forget as they won 10-1 at Sonning Lane on Saturday to start their Men’s Hockey League Premier Division campaign in style.

Surbiton became the first team to score ten goals away from home in a Premier Division clash since Hampstead & Westminster won 10-1 at Sevenoaks in March 2018. Reading suffered their worst defeat since losing 9-1 at Canterbury in March 2015.

Jonty Griffiths, Surbiton’s signing from Wimbledon and Jack Tranter, who arrived at Sugden Road from Beeston both made their league debuts in Surbiton colours.

Surbiton took the lead in the eighth minute, Rob Farrington and Arjan Drayton-Chana combining to set up for Ben Boon to finish. In the 15^th minute, Luke Taylor’s clinical drag-flick beat Reading goalkeeper Chris Wyver to give the visitors a 2-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Taylor struck again in the 32^nd minute as Surbiton led 3-0 at half time with no indication of the second half carnage to come.

Alan Forsyth scored Surbiton’s fourth goal in the 38^th minute before Reading finally got on the scoreboard in the 43^rd minute through close season signing Andrew Oxburgh who joined from Sevenoaks.

A minute later, Farrington restored Surbiton’s four goal advantage as Reading trailed 5-1 at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter saw Surbiton score five goals in ten minutes as the Reading defence struggled to cope with the visitors’ attacks. Taylor completed his penalty corner hat-trick in the 50^th minute before Farrington notched his second goal of the game three minutes later.

Boon struck in the 55^th and 56^th minutes to complete a hat-trick of his own and put Surbiton 9-1 ahead before Drayton-Chana scored the tenth goal in the 60^th minute as Surbiton virtually scored at will. 

Reading held out for the final ten minutes and forced their only penalty corner of the game in the final minute. Reading had chances to score during the game but Surbiton dominated possession and were absolutely clinical in attack, especially in the fourth quarter.

Surbiton will play Beeston at home next Saturday (21 September). Beeston lost 4-3 at home to reigning champions Hampstead & Westminster, Matt Guise-Brown scoring a hat-trick with Hywel Jones scoring the other goal for Hampstead whilst Chris Proctor scored a brace and Adam Dixon was also on target for Beeston.

Surbiton M1 Player of the Match vs Reading: Ben Boon