Title race building up to the clash of the top two

INVESTEC Colombians kept themselves in touch with league leaders Coreix Unwantables with victory over their clubmates, Vets, on Saturday. The 'Juniors', as they are known, defeated the Vets 3-1 at Foote's Lane to give them 23 points and they have a game in hand over Unwantables, who earlier in the day had just got the better of Deloitte Elizabeth College First XI to see them top with 26 points.

'It comes down to when we play Unwantables in a couple of weeks,' said Juniors captain Luke Jager.

'We're really happy to be where we are. We'll give it our best shot.

'Today was a bit of a scrappy game but we played some nice hockey.

'Full credit to the Vets - they played to their strengths. They played well and had a very good game, but we won.'

Chris Colmer, deployed up front as striker - a position that he used to play before switching to defence, got the Juniors' first goal within the first five minutes.

It came off the back of a great run by Tim Creasey, who was seemingly having to play twice as hard to cover for the absence of fellow island midfielder Tristan Cairns.

Creasey went on to produce a man-of-the-match performance as he got the second after 25 minutes at a short corner. He deflected the strike past keeper Kees Jager.

Just before that, Vets had had a golden opportunity to get themselves on the score sheet when Matt Godfrey brought down Chris Gill in the D for a penalty flick, but the keeper redeemed himself when he saved Gill's weak effort.

On the stroke of half-time Vets made it 2-1 when Nick Dunn's mistimed shot at a short corner somehow bobbled over the grounded Godfrey to cross the line slowly.

Into the second half and Jager produced a contender for save of the season when at full stretch he deflected over the bar a Jez Stubbs' slap from close range.

A little later at the other end there was some more magic as Juniors defender Ian Walker turned round the post with his stick a powerful TJ Ozanne drag flick from a short corner.

But there was nothing he or the rest of the Juniors defence could have done to have kept out Damian Wallen's strike from a Colmer cross within the last 10 minutes of the game.

'Disappointed to lose but we should have put away our chances,' said Vets' Matt Elston.

'I think the Vets need to practise their short corners more.'

Beforehand, Cenkos Yobbos, who have been guilty of underachieving this season with such skilled players in their midst, had found themselves 1-1 with Brewin Dolphin Mavericks at half-time before they went on to take the match 5-2.

'That was probably our poorest performance this season, but we dug deep and showed a lot of pride to come out on top,' said Yobbos captain Steve Ward.

'I know we've got the quality to dig ourselves out of trouble.'

Yobbos striker Andy Biggins let a couple of chances go begging before he found the back of the net after 25 minutes with a well worked short corner.

Yobbos were certainly the stronger team but they could not add to their tally as Mavericks captain and former island keeper Jason Robilliard kept them at bay.

And Yobbos were clearly shocked right on the stroke of half-time when, after some good work by young Andrew Dunn on the left wing, Chris Dravers put the ball away after Yobbos' shot-stopper Andy Good had failed to deal with the cross.

Yobbos came out with a purpose at the start of the second half and it was not long before substitute Simon Beck scored when he followed up a saved Barry Wallace short-corner drag flick.

He then made it 3-1 just after the hour mark with another follow-up effort at a short corner.

Shortly afterwards, Alex Mansell found himself in the sin bin after he had deliberately broken down the play with a challenge on Wallace.

That opened the floodgates for Yobbos as Whalley and then Wallace both got their name on the score sheet in quick succession.

Matt Gilligan grabbed a late consolation for Mavericks, but it was a case of too little, too late.

'At half-time we were pleased with our efforts and we knew that they were going to come out hard, but we kept fighting,' said Robilliard.

'Unfortunately with Alexis getting a yellow, then obviously the floodgates opened and our guys ran out of steam, but we still scored a goal.

'Shame about the score line, but we're enjoying it.'

In the first match of the day, Unwantables had had a slight scare against bottom side Elizabeth College.

They took the lead against the run of play through Rob Newton, but college levelled things through a Jonny Clark penalty flick when veteran defender Jon Bell stopped the ball on the line at a short corner with his body.

However, Unwantables wrapped it up towards the end thanks to Adrian Peacegood, who scored from the penalty spot after Steve Eulenkamp had put in a rash challenge on Newton.