Ali Higginson scored for the third game in a row as Brighton & Hove picked up their first win of the MHL season, beating Havant 2-0 at Blatchington Mill on Sunday.

The former Bath University student fired in the clinching goal after a fast break down the right in the third quarter. The ball was eventually cut back to him near the penalty spot and he drove it into the net.

Brighton dominated the game for large parts and had gone ahead after 24 minutes through an accomplished finish from Jack Jones. After good work from Sam Rose had left him clear at the top of the circle, the teenager kept his composure and calmly lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper.

The two goals were no less than Brighton deserved with the impressive Steve Perry, Higginson and Rose all having chances. Havant's rare spells of pressure were well contained by the home defence, behind which Chris Borsoi was a reassuring presence with one excellent stick save high to his right from a Jamie Rawlings penalty corner and maintaining a clean sheet.

Elsewhere in Division One South Teddington made it four wins from four with a 3-2 defeat of Bath Buccaneers. Reading kept the pressure on Teddington by inflicting a resounding first defeat of the season on Canterbury 6-0, Southgate held on for a 4-3 victory over Old Cranleighans while Sevenoaks - who visit Blatchington Mill on Saturday at 5pm - edged out Oxford Hawks 3-2.

Kent/Sussex Division One

BHHC 2s 3
South Saxons 1s 0

A comfortable victory gave the 2s their first points of the season after three narrow defeats.

Sussex League Division One

Crowborough 1s 1
BHHC 3s 7

Skipper Carlo Missirian lost his mother, Yeranik, a staunch supporter of the club, last week and BHHC members wish to send him and his family their condolences at such a sad time.
From Saturday's match Carlo reports: "After a tough week losing one of BHHC's most precious fans it seemed fitting for the mighty Rocks to put on a great performance for the two cuddly Armenians that are now together again up in the heavens.

Crowborough 1s had some very good individuals and had both skill and pace around the pitch. However the structure and team ethic within the Rocks was simply too strong.
Although we scored two early goals Crowborough came back into the game but a well worked short made it 3 -0 at half time and 7=0 by the end of the game.

The fourth goal was again crucial to ensure we took full control of the game, Paddy with two open play goals from sweeper!

VT scored two although Calum tried his best to steal one on the line. Dave Delea with a 3 yard worldie, Russ and Dan with one each too.

Another clean sheet but yet again Pixie making some decisive saves at very important moments in the game with a very robust defence around him.

Max the Wolf was the pick of the youngsters but Max the Turnbull and Oscar Davis are more than holding their own amongst the old boys!

MOM #Yeran RIP."

BHHC 4s 3
Crawley 2s 1

Forward Callum Rudrum reports: "It was another successful afternoon of hockey for Brighton 4s, who got back on track with a win after last week's loss.

Brighton 4s started strong with quick passing and maintaining possession in their half of the pitch. However it took Brighton 20 mins before Callum scored a messy short corner routine which went wrong.

However this lead did not last long as a Crawley player, who was a big unit, bundled his way into the Brighton D and flicked high into the net which was just too high for the keeper, Andy Hehir, to save.

After conceding the goal and going back to all square, Brighton woke up and started playing simple and easy hockey again. Harley, who had been having a very positive start, got himself in shooting position at the top of the Crawley D and mishit the ball; however it landed up close towards the right post where Joe Wilkinson was waiting and just slotted it slowly over the line to give Brighton back its well deserved lead.

After half time the game continued very positively for Brighton, who were moving the ball fast and maintaining possession in the Crawley half, creating chance after chance. However not being able to slot them away. But then another short corner routine gave Brighton a safer lead with a left pass at the top of the D to Sean Campleman who had plenty of time to set himself and slot home a well deserved goal.

Brighton continued to create chance after chance and wind up the Crawley defence as eventually number 17 got himself sent off for two minutes due to discipline. Overall the Brighton team played very well from the defence to controlling the midfield and also creating very good chances. Looking forward to seeing how they compete with top of the league and fellow companions Brighton 3s next week.

MoM - Oscar Butler, CB, for keeping their 'unit' of a player forward in his pocket.
DoD - Callum - 'late somehow, useless on his reverse, and can't perform with his parents watching' - stand-in skipper Orriss."

Sussex League Division Two

Mid Sussex 2s 3
BHHC 5s 2

Hidi Moro reports: "Brighton lost away to Mid Sussex in a busy and close game. Brighton made a good start, but the youthful Mid Sussex team made a lot of movement that made Brighton work.

Mid scored first, but Brighton levelled up when Jukes finished off a rebounded shot from Jonno. Sam got close and at one point was barged over by the goalie, but surprisingly was only awarded a penalty corner. The passing became erratic and Mid scored another before halftime.

The second half was frantic as Brighton tried harder to get back into the game. Evan, Dan and Ade worked the ball up to the forwards, and Jonno and Sam had a few close chances but the keeper matched them. Jukesy levelled again after skillfully deflecting a high ball past the keeper.

A hard fought draw was in sight. Unfortunately a poor pass from el reportero led to a Mid counter attack and goal. This left a sour end to the game.

MoM: Jukes for two great goals.
DoD: Phil for assaulting his kit bag despite years of top service."

Sussex League Division Three

BHHC 6s 3
East Grinstead 5s 1

Tom Wolfenden reports: "Brighton lined up against the newly promoted East Grinstead 5s – an outfit comprising old heads and young legs who brought an undefeated record with them. They returned north with their first loss.

The M6 have a squad of some strength and depth and, after a freestyle warm up, set about their business with some crisp passing moves and created the better chances. After 20mins they converted their pressure to a goal scored by Matt Brown.

The remainder of the first half was a little more competitive than it needed to be - partly as we started to over dribble and their older heads in midfield started to operate between the lines more effectively.

A half time talk to recalibrate and early in the second half, our best move of the match saw our midfield unit work the ball crisply up the right for Matt Brown to force some scrambled defence with a half clearance falling to Roo which he calmly despatched from the top of the D into the bottom corner to double the advantage.

Conceding the goal spurred EG on: they won a series of short corners which were mostly repelled, one notably by Alan Teal's heroic swashbuckling on the line. However, EG did finally convert their pressure and with the score 2-1 there was a risk they might ride the momentum horse to retain their undefeated record.

This M6 outfit is however made of stronger stuff and some confident passing moves with some excellent forward runs moved their defence to places they’d prefer to avoid and Rev popped up to score the game’s final goal with 10 mins left."

Horsham 4s 2
BHHC 7s 1

Skipper Richard Barnes reports: "Another highly competitive match, which with a little more fortune we could have won.

Top of the table Horsham, a mixture of experience and youth, started brightly, well organised with plenty of pace. They took a deserved lead ten minutes in.
But as the half progressed we grew stronger, Stijn and Jack causing them problems around the D and forcing a number of SCs.

The deserved equaliser from an SC was calmly slotted home by Gary Revel-Chion. We finished the half strongly but had to reorganise losing two centre-backs to injury (Hamish and Cameron).

Second half was hard fought, both teams breaking dangerously. But fortune smiled on the home team as they converted an SC, a scrappy goal which needed a couple of unfortunate deflections to crawl over the line.

We pushed hard for an equaliser and the chances were there, Jack clattered the post, Steve Shorrocks and Andy Cunningham going close and Stijn Donker making numerous, dangerous runs. But with us failing to convert and Horsham pretty good at playing out time, they gratefully took the points.

An enjoyable game played in a good spirit, well umpired and good to catch up with Brighton old boy Ali Billington as one of the Horsham umpires."

Sussex League Division Four

BHHC 8s 2
Eastbourne 5s 4