Khalsa's winning start is ended at struggling Loughborough

Khalsa, who were without several key players, created an early chance from a penalty corner but Alex Idoine’s effort was off target. The hosts responded by taking the lead from a penalty corner. Khalsa were dominating possession on a difficult surface and equalised from an unlikely source, Scott Angliss advancing upfield from the left-back position and deflecting in a disguised pass from Jack Durden at the back post. Khalsa continued pressing forward in a very open game, while keeper Elliot Rider was at his best to repel the home side’s threats. After the break, Khalsa showed a much higher intensity and successive penalty corners from Aaron Nagra were cleared off the line. Nagra then had to make a brave clearance to prevent Loughborough retaking the lead from a penalty corner. Ben Northedge was put through on goal after a well-weighted pass from Stuart Colegate to Idoine. However, his effort was smothered by the keeper. With ten minutes remaining, a stray pass out of the defence fell kindly to a Loughborough forward who drew Rider out of the goal before slipping it unselfishly to his strike partner who was able to slot the ball into the net. Khalsa reshuffled their formation in search of an equaliser and Nagra’s third penalty corner effort of the game found the net to tilt the momentum back in their favour. The visitors pressed forward in search of a winner and a well-worked move ended with Joe Colantonio denied by a spectacular save from the Town goalkeeper. A depleted Khalsa 2nds paid the price for a late sending off as they fell to a 4-3 defeat at home to Loughborough Town 2nds. The visitors started brightly and took advantage of a two-on-one to take the lead and then doubled their advantage when a crash ball was deflected off a defender’s stick on to an attacker and over the line. Khalsa fought back valiantly and got back on level terms through striker Alex Murdoch who followed up a reverse strike across goal with a fine drag-flick. With no substitutes to call on, Khalsa faded after the interval and Town regained the lead from open play. However, the home side pulled it back to 3-3 through right-back Joe Bostock, with Amrit Gill providing the assist. Khalsa were reduced to ten men for the final 15 minutes and were made to pay when a reverse-strike was fired home from close range. Khalsa 3rds suffered a 9-0 defeat at Rugby & East Warwickshire 4ths, while the 4ths drew 1-1 at home to Hampton-in-Arden 6ths. Satvarg Nijjar scored their goal from a short corner, with Hampton scoring in the last play of the game. Khalsa keeper Alfie Black had earlier saved a penalty flick.