COLCHESTER 1

BROXBOURNE 3

East Men's League division two south

COLCHESTER Hockey Club men's first team captain Dean Campbell admits they will probably need to win all four of their remaining games to avoid relegation.

Defeat at the hands of leaders Broxbourne at the Garrison has left them with an uphill task to stay in division two for another season.

Campbell said: "I think it leaves us needing four wins from four to stay up.

"We created more opportunities than Broxbourne did but we struggled to finish them.

"Broxbourne were complimentary towards us afterwards and said that it was one of their toughest games.

"They took their opportunities and we didn't but although they're top, when you're fighting relegation like we are it's a massive loss because we could have really done with some points out of it."

Colchester put Broxbourne under pressure and created chances from the start.

But the visitors were clinical and went ahead from a short corner after 15 minutes.

And Broxbourne added a second when they home side were slow to close an attack down and a shot went through stand-in keeper James Mortimer's legs.

Colchester went in trailing 2-0 at half-time and their task became even harder in the second half when a shot struck the unfortunate Mortimer on the leg and flew in.

The hosts continued to create excellent opportunities without taking them and often found themselves in two-on-one and three-on-two situations.

Colchester finally scored through Richard Sexton's fine individual goal, following a penalty corner.

After Campbell had found him, Sexton weaved one way and then another, beating two markers before flicking the ball into the back of the net.

But it proved only a consolation, as Colchester fell to defeat.

Sexton was Colchester's player of the match, following his high work-rate and versatility playing in different positions.

Teenager Henry Speck also performed impressively on his Colchester first-team debut up front.

Colchester are without a game in division two this weekend.

Colchester's men's second team won 1-0 at Clacton II in division five and in the same division, the club's third team beat Waltham Forest III, 2-1.

Colchester men's fours were 3-0 winners at Havering IV, in division eight.