East Grinstead twice hauled back two-goal deficits before ultimately losing 5-4 away to second placed Nottingham.

After finding themselves 2-0 down inside 17 minutes, Grinstead came back into the game and were unlucky not to score when Ben Payne, unmarked on the edge of the circle, shot just wide of the goal.

Five minutes before half time, Mike Holland did pull a goal back from a well-taken short corner and minutes later Andy Medcalf prodded the ball home from a pass by Ben Payne to level the scores at half-time.

In the second half, Nottingham restored their two-goal advantage from two short corners when East Grinstead were reduced to ten men.

The visitors fought back well again and scored twice in quick succession, the first by Steve Edmonds after some good interplay by the forwards and the second a short corner conversion by Medcalf.

Although Grinstead thoroughly deserved a draw, it was not to be as Nottingham scored the winner with a hard shot from the edge of the circle 12 minutes from time.

Grinstead player-coach Ian Pattison said: "We started very badly and for the first 20 minutes were very poor. That effectively cost us the game.

"I was very pleased with the way we came back but by then the damage had been done.

"The way we played for the rest of the game was some of the best hockey we have played all season."