Hockey: Light Blues lifted by darker side

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY took over the leadership of the Premier Holidays East Premier League, thanks to goals from the ex-Oxford pair Adam Laird, with two, and Roger Wilcox in their 5-2 win against Bishop's Stortford. The Belgian Thierry Gruslin and Ian McClive completing the scoring.

It was a black weekend for the previous leaders, Peterborough Town, who went down 3-2 to Colchester and were then thrashed 8-1 by Bournville to go out of the Cup. Cambridge, with a game in hand, lead Peterborough by two points. The Light Blues will also have noticed that Oxford, following a crushing 6-1 defeat at the hands of Indian Gymkhana on Saturday, have now dropped to bottom place in the First Division of the National League.

In the South, Fareham march on. They eventually overcame Maidenhead 3- 2 to maintain their maximum points record. After Tom Miller had given the Hampshire side a two-goal lead, Maidenhead struck back to draw level with goals from Shoaib Raja and their player-coach, Mike Williamson, before Tim Tavender sank a rebound off the Maidenhead goalkeeper for the winner in the 65th minute. Despite only managing a goalless draw with High Wycombe, Wimbledon stay second but are now six points adrift of Fareham.

Bath Buccaneers beat Weston-super-Mare 4-2 to maintain their two-point lead at the top, in the West of England and South Wales Premier, while Robinsons returned from Wales with the points after a 2-0 win at Whitchurch thanks to two goals from Ian King, their former captain.

In the DTZ Midland Premier, Edgbaston edged home in a 3-2 game against Leek to stay four points clear of Harborne. There was a surprise 3-0 defeat for leaders, Formby, at Sheffield Bankers in the North.