England Hockey League 2023/24: Weekend 2 Review

Buckingham have the only 100% record after two weeks in Division One North. They trailed to an early Sade Gerard goal for Stourport before Natasha James equalised on the stroke of half time. Two second half goals from Jo Day and another from Alice Rolfe gave them a 4-1 win. 

Olton & Durham University are two points back having shared six goals, along with Wakefield who defeated Swansea 1-0 thanks to a late winner for Lucy Holland. 

Sutton Coldfield were the day’s big winners, 6-1 at St Margarets Pasture, the fantastic new home for Leicester City, with Beth Peers scoring two of their goals. Lalia Howse scored the only goal of the game as Gloucester City returned from Ben Rhydding with all three points. 

Surbiton 2s came from behind to defeat Holcombe 2-1 and top the Division One South table thanks to late goals from Charlotte Calnan and Amie Hunt after Emma Bandurak had given the visitors the lead. Barnes also have six points and their second win came at Team Bath with Aleesa Ferguson scoring twice in their 3-1 win. 

Sevenoaks and Slough are also unbeaten and followed up draws last week with 2-0 wins on Saturday against Canterbury and Southgate respectively. Wimbledon 2s won a high scoring game at Harleston. It was 2-2 at half time with Jess Howland netting both the home team’s goals but Wimbledon pulled away in the second period with Phoebe Barnett scoring a hat trick in their 5-3 win. 

Guildford lead the way on six points in Conference East after a 4-2 win over London Wayfarers for whom Nicki Mollison scored twice. Teddington have made a good start to VWHL life and also have two wins from two, coming out 2-0 winners at Old Georgians, another newly promoted team. Ipswich in third are also unbeaten but let a two goal lead slip against Old Loughtonians in a 2-2 draw. 

Hampstead 2s were the day’s top scorers overwhelming Horsham 7-1 with Rachel Greenwood netting a hat trick and East London defeated Spencer 3-0. A powerful second half display saw St Albans beat Doncaster 5-1 and top the Conference Midlands table with an impressive +10 goal difference after just two games. It was 2-1 at half time before three unanswered goals in the second half including two for Abigal Farrington secured the points. Emily McStea scored both of Cambridge City’s goals in a 2-1 win over Bedford to maintain their 100% start. 

Repton also are two from two, beating Birmingham University 2s 3-1 with two goals for Pauline Scherrer. Sarah Martin and Jodie Berrow both scored twice in Cannock’s 5-1 win at Oxford University. Beeston 2s came away with all three points after the short trip to Belper with a 3-0 win. Fylde are the only team in Conference North with a 100% record. 

On Saturday Emma Savage scored the only goal of the game against Durham University 2s. Leeds beat Timperley 3-1, coming from behind at the break with Lauren Ellwood twice on target. Elsewhere saw three 1-1 draws – Bowdon 2s – Didsbury Northern, Newcastle University - Pendle Forest and Harrogate – Brooklands Poynton. 

Exeter are also the only team with two wins out of two in Conference West after a 3-0 defeat of Cheltenham. Trojans and Witney are in a group of four teams on four points having shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw, Abi Flory scoring twice for the Oxfordshire side. Oxford Hawks are also on four points having beat Bristol Firebrands 3-2 for whom Megan Duncan netted a brace of corners. Promoted Clifton 2s are the fourth unbeaten team and overcame Basingstoke 4-1. Reading 2s earned their first points of the season with a 4-1 win at Fareham, Alyn Richards with two of their goals. 

Three teams have 100% records after two games in Division One North. Loughborough Students are top thanks to a 3-1 win at promoted Leeds who have yet to pick up a point. Tom Spreckley, Cole Pidcock and Alex Chihota were on target for Loughborough. 

The second-placed Bowdon won 3-0 at Harborne, another promoted team yet to get off the mark, the visitors' goals coming from Lee Parry, Simon Egerton and Barney Bithell. Deeside Ramblers are third thanks to a 5-1 win over Cambridge City with Ghazanfar Ali netting a hat trick. 

Olton beat Durham 3-1 and Birmingham drew 3-3 with Brooklands where the visitors secured a point thanks to a late Peter Flanagan corner. 

In Division One South Old Cranleighan picked up their second win, 2-0 at Team Bath with goals from Erik van Kesteren and Jack Jamieson to take them top. Canterbury also have two wins from two and picked up a second successive 2-1 win, this time at Kent rivals Sevenoaks, Nathan Fouey and Tom Bean on target. 

Teddington and Havant are the only other unbeaten teams after they drew 2-2. Exeter University got off the mark with a 3-1 win at Richmond with two goals for Alex Beckett. The Brighton – Old Loughtonians game was abandoned after floodlight issues with seven minutes to go with the visitors leading 4-3, the league determined the outcome in these circumstances. 

Guilford sit top of Conference East after a 2-0 defeat of London Wayfarers, their goals coming from Alex Sweet and Cameron Baker. Craig Wiid scored the only goal of the game as Ipswich beat Old Georgians 2s 1-0 to go second. Ben Spencer scored four in the battle of the 2s that ended with a 6-2 win for Hampstead over Wimbledon. Spencer beat Surbiton 2s 2-1 and Indian Gymkhana and Bromley & Beckenham drew 2-2. 

Timperley were high scorers for the second week running in Conference North. They followed up an 8-0 win last week winning 9-0 at luckless Belper 9-0. Connor Miller hit a second consecutive hat trick. They lead Doncaster, not surprisingly, on goal difference. Alex Kerry scored twice for Doncaster in a 3-2 win over Oxton. 

Beeston 2s recovered from an 8-0 loss last week to win 2-1 at Wakefield. Two Will Musgrave goals helped Ben Rhydding to a 3-2 win over Brooklands 2s and Sheffield and Lindum drew 1-1. 

Nottingham University 2s made it two wins out of two in Conference Midlands with a hat trick of corners from Luis Cuttle easing them to a 5-2 win over St Albans, Promoted Stourport are also on six points after a second successive win on the road, 2-1 at Bedford, Leo Delves and Andy Cavendish’s goals proving decisive. 

Birmingham University 2s are two points back thanks to a 4-2 defeat of City of Peterborough. Harleston took the honours in the Norfolk derby winning 2-1 at Norwich City. 

Promoted Banbury will be pleased with a second successive point at recent Division One opposition, coming from two down at Barford to level it up thanks to two Tyson Nunneley corners. Oxford Hawks are looking to bounce back to Division One and lead the way in Conference West. 

It was an eventful win over Exeter University 2s as Hawks saw a three-goal advantage at halftime pegged back before scoring a further three without reply to win 6-3, including a hat-trick for Jack Hobbs. Isca and Chichester are the only other unbeaten teams in the Division after a 2-2 draw, Isca on four points, Chichester two. Promoted Cheltenham got off the mark with a 3-2 defeat of Clifton Robinsons. In the Devon derby Ashmoor beat Plymouth Marjon 3-1 and Bristol University beat Fareham by the same scoreline.