Hawks clinch place in the play-offs

Hockey

Chris Armitage scored twice, with Ed Baldock adding a third as Oxford Hawks beat Lions 3-0 at the weekend to become the first Regional League side to clinch a place in the National League play-offs, writes Bill Colwill.

Hawks moved five points clear of Lewes at the top of the Nastro Azzurro South Premier. Lewes, 5-1 winners at home to Newbury, are seven points ahead of Gore Court and look set for the second South place.

Ipswich beat Cambridge University 5-1 in the Adnams East Premier to keep their five-point lead over Peterborough Town.

96th VARSITY MATCH (Reading HC, 27 Feb): SQUADS: OXFORD: T Griffiths (capt), W Kendall, H Tewes, K Robinson, A Walther (all Keble), D Jefferson, B Cope (Brasenose), S Knight, B Raumann (St Catherine's), J Pratt (University), P Bell (Lincoln), R MacDowel (St Benet's), S Innes (New), N Berry (Exeter), S Morley (Green). CAMBRIDGE: C Carter (Girton, capt), J Schulten, D Clark (Queens'), T McCarthy, R Cake (St John's), A Sainsbury (Pembroke), T Parr, C Durrant (Sidney Sussex), I Bateman (Emmanuel), P Piotrowicz (Fitzwilliam), M Meredith (Clare), G Playfair, D Harding (Robinson), D Churton (St Catharine's), G Osborne, C Mannall (Homerton).