Premier outfit prove too strong for Cannock
Cannock bowed out of the England Hockey Cup as they suffered a 5-1 second-round home defeat to Premier League side Brooklands MU, by Joe Williams.
Brooklands came out of the blocks stronger at Chase Park and within four minutes Cannock found themselves 1-0 down.
The hosts were given a chance to get back into the game when Brooklands found themselves down a man temporarily following a green card but failed to cash in from penalty corner.
Cannock's Mike Gerrard, in goal.
A reverse strike by a Brooklands forward caught Cannock's defence off guard to double the lead.
Momentum was clearly with the top flight side and they had four successive penalty corners following the goal.
Cannock stood firm to withstand the onslaught of pressure but shipped in a third goal from a penalty corner before the break.
In the second half, Cannock should have scored as they had both a penalty corner and a penalty either side of a Brooklands disallowed goal, but they drew a blank on both occasions.
Things got worse for Cannick when Chris Beck conceded a penalty and a green card for his actions. The spot-kick was converted to give Brooklands a comfortable 4-0 advantage and they quickly added a fifth.
Edging towards the final minutes, Beck powered down the left flank and set-up Callum Swinnerton-Ions for a consolation goal.
In the Midlands Premier, Lichfield were victims of a rampant Nottingham University side who beat them 5-2 – their fifth win in a row.
League rivals Stourport were more successful, however, as they battled their way to a 3-1 victory against Loughborough Town.
Old Halesonians suffered a 4-1 loss in Midlands One against Sutton Coldfield as Mark Curzon was taken away in an ambulance with a head injury.
On a brighter note, Stone are now five games unbeaten after an entertaining 5-5 draw with Barton.
Playing at home, Streetly also drew against Boots with the game ending 3-3.
Wednesbury went down to a 3-0 defeat to Bloxwich in the West Midlands Premier
In the same division, Aldridge & Walsall managed to submit Ludlow to a 3-1 defeat at Aston University.
Both Wolverhampton and West Bromwich are still unbeaten in the West Midlands One after victories against Barlaston and Pershore respectively. Wolves picked up a comfortable 3-0 win in their game whileWest Brom thrashed Pershore 6-3.
