Purley breathed life into their disappointing season with a hard-fought and precious victory over Cardiff to prove the scrap for survival will be as tense as the fight for the title.
The 5-4 win gives them a lifeline and puts three teams within a point of each other in the Premier league lower order.
With Bristol improving every game, this promises to be a roller coaster ride to April.
Mike Barrett was the hero as he intercepted a Quins play and rolled back the years for a scintillating fast break and strike with less than two minutes on the clock.
Purley put together something like a four quarter performance against a gritty Cardiff team also struggling to find their best form this season.
“It was close and tense all the way but was a much needed win for us,” said skipper Andy Davies. Purley stay ninth but are now only a point behind Welwyn and two behind Cardiff.
The Hampstead – Hitchin match up went to the Men in Black and the Herts club has now suffered back-to-back defeats to slip into fifth place.
Hitchin were without first and second choice keepers and the reshuffle, with Welsh international D-man Chris Bishop between the pipes, weakened their defensive set-up.
“It was a tight, physical game and penalties cost both teams,” said Hampstead’s Dennis Tobin. “Hitchin were depleted but played very well and if they’d had a full strength side the result could have gone either way.”
Skipper Payson Bullard scored twice for the visitors and there were doubles also for Kyle Witt, Alex Adler and Scotland international Marc Banas.
Champions Blues also lost ground and are now two points behind Hampstead after an exciting 11-11 draw with Hillcroft who are gathering impressive momentum.
Zak Jordan bagged four goals for the second week running in a game that had multiple lead changes till the final minute. Hillcroft started the brighter but Blues got rolling in the second quarter and it was 7-6 at half time.
Pete Clayton continued his fine form in defence and worked tirelessly with James McManus to seal off the Blues’ main scoring threats.
Defence dominated but Hillcroft took the lead two minutes to go. Blues then hit back but neither team could force the win.
“It was an end to end game. We are disappointed we couldn’t find the winner but it was a good performance from us,” said Hillcroft’s Duncan Trenholme.
Blues’ Tom Fewson added: “All credit to Hillcroft, they took an early lead and we were playing catch up until the 4th Quarter. They made it tough for us and we didn’t take as many chances as we should have.”
Welwyn ran Hampstead close last week but found Spencer back in imperious mood in Earlsfield.
The Warriors went 3-1 up in the first quarter and the teams traded goals but the Spencer machine looked well oiled as they displayed razor edge cutting lines and sweet finishing to claim the match 16-9.
Welwyn had the satisfaction of seeing Henry Farrell’s long stick finish hit the net after taking a feed from the keeper and evading the Spencer D-unit but captain Dan Reid admitted: “It was a hard game and they were ultimately the much better team.”
Spencer had Joe Darkins and Max Sandy back from lengthy injury lay-offs while Sam Woodie and lefty Ben Dormer had stand-out games.
“It was a close game and Welwyn have improved a lot,” said McGreavy. “We only really controlled the game in the 3rd although we were much better than the previous week.”
Spencer move into third and face Hampstead at the Westway with fans hoping for a repeat of their exhilarating Flags clash that finished with Spencer grabbing an overtime win.
The Premier League takes a break this Saturday as the minor Flags tournaments take centre stage. The twin favourities in the Intermediate Flags both have tricky games that will take some winning.
High-flying East Grinstead take on a strong Reading 2s who will be targeting the game for a potential upset. The Sussex side won the opening day fixture between the sides comfortably but only managed a 5-3 win in the return match.
East Grinstead will have their eyes firmly fixed on a league and Flags double but the Berkshire team believe they can surprise the form book.
At the other side of the draw, unbeaten Bath entertain Portsmouth who ran them close in an 11-9 match in November.
Portsmouth will be hoping the West Country giants will be ring rusty following just one game – a one-sided victory over Bristol Bombers 2 last Saturday – since December 3.
Bucks travel to the shell-shocked Bombers 2 and will have to be wary of the backlash and the perils of a road trip.
Spencer 2s face local rivals Blues 2s in the other quarter final. Other matches are being played out in the Minor Flags & Plate.
<<UPDATED RESULTS>>
Southern Premiership
Hampstead 12 - 9 Hitchin
Purley 5 - 4 Cardiff Harlequins
Reading Wildcats 12 - 4 Bristol Bombers
Spencer 16 - 9 Welwyn Warriors
Walcountian Blues 11 - 11 Hillcroft
East Division 1
Buckhurst Hill 11 - 6 Walcountian Blues 2
Colchester 4 - 12 Welwyn Warriors 2
Croydon 14 - 4 Brighton Panthers
East Grinstead 11 - 2 Spencer 2
Reading Wildcats 2 12 - 4 Cambridge Univ.
East Division 2
Canterbury v London Univ.
Epsom 13 - 7 East Grinstead A
Maidstone Red Wolves v Northampton Town
Spencer 3 4 - 4 Oxford Univ.
East Division 3
Chichester Crusaders 3 - 13 Hitchin A
Reading Wildcats 3 11 - 6 Welwyn Warriors 3
Royal Holloway v Walcountian Blues 3
West Divison 1
Bristol Bombers 2 0 - 33 Bath
Portsmouth Univ. v Birmingham City
Southampton City 23 - 2 Warwick Univ.
