ALTHOUGH struggling to find their usual fluency, Oxford Hawks secured a 2-1 victory away to Indian Gymkhana to stay top of South League Premier Division 1.

After a slow start, the visitors took the lead in the 24th minute when Andy Watts followed up to tuck home a rebound.

Gymkhana showed much greater ambition in the second half.

But Will Heywood gave Hawks a little breathing space by netting their second just after the break following an interception and pass from Ted Bennett.

The visitors did not help themselves by receiving two yellow cards, meaning they played a ten-minute spell with ten players.

Gymkhana pulled a goal back from a penalty stroke which set up a tense final 20 minutes.

Although Tom Godding had an effort disallowed, Hawks defended well to record a victory which keeps them six points clear.

Oxford stayed in touch with in the Regional 1 play-off place after a 2-1 victory away to OMT, their goals coming from James Cutter and Matt James.

Witney lost 2-0 away to Reading 3rd, but stay second in Regional 2 with two games in hand on the leaders.

OTHER MEN’S RESULTS

Oxford Hawks 2nd 4 (J Taylor, J Bertie, I Roberts, F Dunleavy) 4, Marlow 4; Oxford Hawks 3rd 3 (N Mahon, L Cooke, J Ward), Banbury 2nd 2; Oxford Hawks 4th 1 (N Gallacher), South Berks 3rd 5; Oxford Hawks 5th 0, Henley 3rd 2; Oxford Hawks 6th 5 (S Dawson 3, A Baldock, J Finlayson), Amersham & C 3rd 1; Oxford 2nd 8 (T Burns 2, J Campbell 2, S Cox, B Hunter, A Neville 2), Aylesbury 1; Oxford 3rd 7 (M Oakes 2, H Tasker, B Richards, C Orme, M Neville, J Greondfeld), South Berkshire 3rd 2; Oxford 4th 1 (S Copping), Sonning 3rd 4; Oxford 6th 0, Abingdon 2nd 4; Oxford 7th 3 (G Curran, R Hunt, D McArthur), Ramgharia Slough 6; Oxford 8th 2 (N Moshin, E Dyer), Phoenix & Ranelagh 3rd 1; Oxford Hawks 7th 8, Oxford 9th 0; Witney 2nd 4 (C Summers 3, T Allison), Eastcote 4th 7; Witney 5th w/o British Airways 3rd.

OXFORD Hawks’ run in the EH Cup was ended when they lost a penalty shoot-out to the University of Birmingham.

The last-16 tie finished 2-2 after hosts Hawks had twice come from behind.

The students, who play at National Conference level, led 1-0 at half-time, but Will Heywood levelled ten minutes after the break.

The visitors went 2-1 up with ten minutes left.

Hawks equalised when Jack Biggs converted a penalty corner after neat interplay with Andy Watts.

The shoot-out went to sudden death, but the students prevailed 4-3.

Oxford made it into the last eight of EH Cup tier 2, defeating hosts Streetly 2-0 with goals from Dan Bleach and James Cutter.