NICK Ferraby hit a first-half hat-trick as Oxford Hawks recorded their first win of the season.
They produced a dominant display to beat Havant 4-1 at Banbury Road North in their Premier Division 2 game.
The players took some belief from the point the week before, and were full of confidence going into the game.
Amazingly, they started well, which is unusual for Hawks.
With good, clear communication from all over the pitch, they blew Havant away.
Hawks found themselves one up after a short corner was won, with Ferraby converting with a hard, low drag flick.
Three minutes later, Ferraby converted a carbon-copy drag flick that gave the keeper no chance.
With Si Robinson and Andy Brown dominating the def-ence, Hawks did not look like conceding, and they extended the lead when a clumsy tackle in the D led to a penalty stroke, which Ferraby dispatched high into the top left corner.
Havant scored a scrappy goal, after Ed Hutley had been yellow carded for a mistimed tackle.
But, with two minutes to go, a great break from Freddie Coppin sealed victory.
He ran the length of the field and unselfishly passed the ball square to Steve Collier, who made no mistake.
Tyson Nunneley was another hat-trick hero, showing how he has turned into a dangerous flicker by putting two chances away in the first half, as Banbury won 3-2 at bottom club Maidstone in Premier Division 1.
Maidstone converted their only first-half corner through Chris Bassano-Harper, but Nunneley’s diouble put Banbury 2-1 ahead at the break.
The Kent side equalised with a skilful chest-high far post finish by Gregh Laurenson after a prolonged period of attack.
This stung banbury into action and Dave Clark and James Clement orchestrated a series of strong drives up the field.
From one of these, Nunneley won and converted a short corner.
Goals from Adam Jordan and Thomas Lockton were not enough as Oxford University lost 3-2 at home to table-topping Wimbledon.
Top v bottom in the MBB&O Regional division was always going to be one-sided and so it proved as PHC Chiswick crushed Oxford Hawks 2nd, with Nayan Maken getting five, and Dharmesh Puna four, for Chiswick.
Joe and Tom Brownhill were both on target for Rover Oxford in their 5-3 defeat at second-placed Maidenhead. Daniel Smyth also scored for Rover.
James Lanyon’s brace, and a short corner goal by Grant Barber, brough Wallingford a 3-1 win over British Airways.
In Regional 2, Rover Oxford 2nd saw off Ramgarhia 4-2.
Brandon Trew opened the scoring for Rover and Ben White added a second within the first 20 minutes.
Rover then sat on their laurels and heavy pressure in the second half from Ramgarhia, despite good work by keeper Paul Hewitson, brought the scores level with 15 minutes to go.
Another quick two goals by Ben White broke Ramgarhia’s hearts.
Witney moved into second in Division 2 with a 6-0 win at bottom club Staines 3rd.
Tim Hardy opened the scoring from a short corner, then turned provider with a defence-splitting pass for Ben Wells to open his account for the season.
French import Frankie Clavaud hit a brace and both Hardy and Wells finished with doubles as well.
Tom Ward’s goal was enough to give Oxford Hawks 3rd a 1-0 win over Phoenix & Ranelagh, also in Division 2.
And in the same section, Matt Bull’s hat-trick helped Banbury 2nd to their first win, 4-2 against Marlow. Stuart Armstrong got the other goal.
OTHER SCORES MEN South League: Banbury 2nd 4 (M Bull 3, S Armstrong). Marlow 2nd 2; Ayles-bury 2nd 2, City of Oxford 2nd 1 (R Harding); Henley 4th 3, City 3rd 1 (J Burke); Witney 2nd 5 (Yallop 3, D Scott, S Taylor), Banbury 3rd 0; Ban-bury 4th 8 (C Irvine 3, R Mellor-Brook 2, S Ralph, A Lamb, F Lambert), New-bury 4th 0; Oxford Hawks 4th 0, Boyne Hill 0; City 4th 2 (K Cox 2), Bicester 4th 3; Witney 3rd 3 (J Johnson, J Deacon, G Wisby), Windsor 2nd 1; Windsor 4th 4 (B Carroll 3, O Collins), Rover Oxford Academy 1; Wokingham 7, Witney 5th 0; Oxford Hawks Fledglings 5 (T Silman 4, J Biggs), Leighton Buzzard 2nd 2. Mixed match: Adastral 3 (B Trew, S Merrie, A Chakera), Abingdon 3.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here