CHAMPS PENGUIN CRACK THE CHAMPERS

WORTHING'S second hockey club are the Sussex League men's champions. Despite missing holidaying skipper and motivating dynamo Dave Matthews on Saturday, Penguin took the title with a 2-0, relegation-sentencing win at home to Crawley 2nd. They will now take their place in regional league hockey along with Worthing HC.

Kym Houlden came in for Matthews and goals in the first half by two of their chief marksmen, Tim Warren (9min) and Stephan Wilkinson (28min) settled the issue '” although Crawley mounted pressure in the second half while Penguin were restricted to breakaways.

In the second period, when Neil Watkins and acting captain Wilkinson were cautioned, keeper Chris Witham, 20, made important saves, twice from Peter Botha at short corners and left his goal to thwart Steve Snorram after Penguin defender Tom Ramirez was robbed in midfield.

Andy Knight, Penguin's pony-tailed, 6ft 4in left-midfielder, hit the near post at one of their two short corners in the half and, earlier, Jon Miles had fired into the side-board on the burst.

Watkins added: "I only slept three hours last night and we were very tense before the game."

Warren, over post-match champagne, added: "We needed to impose our game early on and we got a great start. Now we're the only Sussex side outside the South League unbeaten this season."

PENGUIN: Witham; Best, Ramirez, Ford; Houlden, G.Matthews, Tyler, Knight; Watkins, Warren, Wilkinson. Subs: Miles, Steenburg.