Chelmsford put their Division One campaign back on track with a hard earned win over a durable Eastcote side at Chelmer Park on Saturday.

With both sides needing the points to ease their concerns over achieving a top-eight finish this season, it was expected to be a tight encounter.

Chelmsford got off to the best possible start when Craig Fulton's run created the space to thread a ball into the danger area and Jonathan Wilcox deftly clipped his first time shot past a startled Dan Brown in goal.

Chelmsford failed to create any more clear-cut open play chances but did manage to force three penalty corners before the break.

Justin King's shots were goal bound, but Brown got his hands to all three.

At the other end, Chelmsford's Paddy Aldridge had to be in top form as his defence were constantly caught out by the movement of the Eastcote forwards.

In the second half, Chelmsford enjoyed more constant pressure, Craig Carolan having two shots well saved.

The game was effectively settled in the 56th minute when Andrew Kennedy surprised the Eastcote defence when he struck a corner instead of King.

As Brown was slow to react, Kennedy's shot rifled home underneath the desperate lunge of the goalkeeper to put Chelmsford 2-0 in front.

King left his mark on the game with a vicious penalty corner flick in the 67th minute and could have had a second shortly afterwards when an equally impressive shot rebounded off the crossbar.

The win lifts Chelmsford to fifth place in the table, but with only a three point lead over Indian Gymkhana in ninth place, there is still a lot of work to do in their last three league matches.

On Sunday, Chelmsford travel to play high flying Lewes.

Chelmsford II, the recently crowned Premier Holidays East League Division One champions, had an amazing match against Redbridge & Ilford on Saturday, the game eventually finishing in a 7-7 draw.

Chelmsford's scorers were Phillip Goode, "Spike" Brown (2), Adam Hunter (3) and Adrian Smith.

Chelmsford Mens Hockey Club third eleven 1998/99 . . Alistair Fergus, Andy White, Duncan Buckmaster, Ben Wallace, Richard Brann, Neil Walker, Andy Simpson, Jerry Cass, John Clarke, Neil Stanhope (captain), Rob Wellbank and Matt Fletcher.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.