England Hockey League 2023/24: Weekend 5 Review

The top four met each other in of Division One North and Buckingham maintain a three point lead at the top but dropped points for the first time this season drawing 3-3 at fourth placed Durham University where Lizzy Pocknell earned a point for the students. Evelyn Wilson and Jesscia Cottee  twice gave the students the lead only for Jo Day and Lauren Thomas to equalize before Rebecca van Arrowsmith had put them ahead. Their nearest rivals, Gloucester City, were also held, 1-1 at third placed Sutton Coldfield. Holly Done’s 13^th minute opener cancelled out by Beth Peers strike seven minutes later. These draws enabled Ben Rhydding and Leicester to make up ground having both earned three points. A hat-trick from Rebecca Birch was instrumental in Ben Rhydding’s 3-0 win over Stourport and Liz George scored twice as Leicester defeated Wakefield 2-0. Elsewhere bottom of the table Swansea picked up their second point of the campaign drawing 1-1 with Olton, Ruth Bowe's 35th minute corner their first goal of the season.

Surbiton 2s kept up their perfect start in Division One South with a 3-1 win over Canterbury. Although Mel Clewlow cancelled out and early Imogen Davies goal, second half strikes for Charlotte Calnan and Isabelle Yonge secured the points. Their nearest rivals, Holcombe, won 6-1 at bottom of the table Harleston. Emma Bandurak and Deanna Ritchie both scoring twice and Lotte Bingham and Lucy Whalley also on target. Laura Tibbenham grabbed the consolation for the home team who have yet to gain a point. Neither have Southgate who fell to a 2-1 home defeat to third placed Barnes. Slough and Wimbledon 2s drew 3-3 and Sevenoaks won 1-0 on the road at Team Bath Buccaneers.    

Alice O’Hagan’s 44^th minute goal maintained Guildford’s perfect start in Conference East in a defeat of Spencer. They are five points clear of London Wayfarers who won 5-1 at Ipswich. Two goals in the last 10 minutes from Steph Burns earned Hampstead & Westminster 2s a share of the points in a 3-3 draw at Teddington. Old Loughtonians brought home the points from the short trip to East London winning 2-0 and Old Georgians 2s put daylight between themselves and bottom of the table Horsham with a 3-2 win in Sussex.

The weather put paid to the Repton – St Albans game at the top of Conference Midlands. This enabled Cambridge City and Doncaster to join them on 10 points. Cambridge came from two down to win 3-2 at Birmingham University 2s with Miriam Martie-Palet scoring a last gasp winner.  Doncaster won by the same scoreline at Cannock having scored their goals in the first ten minutes. Beeston 2s and Bedford drew 1-1 as did Oxford University and Belper, both teams first points of the season.

Two goals from Hannah Metcalfe helped North Conference leaders Pendle Forest to a 5-1 win over Harrogate. They are now three points clear of Fylde who were held 2-2 by Didsbury Northern and needed two goals in the last minutes to earn a point. Newcastle University are unbeaten in third and will have enjoyed a 4-0 win over fellow student team Durham 2s, Daisy Bennett scoring twice. Timperley’s Freya Diamond scored twice in the first five minutes but Brooklands Poynton fought back for a 2-2 draw and Leeds and Bowdon 2s also scared the points in a 1-1 draw.

Trojans took over at the top of Conference West winning 5-4 at previous incumbents Exeter. The lead switched back and forth but Amy Sheehan sealed the game with a 60^th minute corner and a hat-trick with it. Clifton Robinsons 2 are level with Trojans on ten points after a 1-0 win at Fareham, as are Bristol Firebrands, 4-1 winners at Basingstoke. A pair of corners from Tacita Haines earned Witney a point in a 2-2 draw with Cheltenham and Reading beat Oxford Hawks 3-1. Only three points separate Cheltenham in eighth from leaders Trojans and the bottom two Fareham and Basingstoke will need to start making inroads after the break.          

Bowdon go into the break with a two point lead at the top of Division One North after racking up their fifth win in five in their Cheshire derby with Deeside Ramblers. Carlos Dolado-Hollyman gave them a half time lead and William Lord and Connor Jameson extended this. Although Finn Leonard pulled one back, Jack McAuliffe made it 4-1 to Bowdon. Nearest rivals Brooklands MU went one better beating Olton 5-1, including two corners from Peter Flanagan. Promoted Harborne enjoyed their third straight win courtesy of an amazing comeback at Leeds where the home team lead 3-0 after 13 minutes. Harborne powered back with five unanswered goals including two for Alex Idoine to win 5-3. The all-student affair between Loughborough and Durham ended 1-1. At the foot of the table Birmingham University moved out of the bottom two with a 5-1 win over Cambridge City who remain pointless, Alex Greenway and Harvey Edwards both netted braces for the University.

Division One South leaders Canterbury dropped points for the first time this season in a 0-0 draw at Havant. This allowed Teddington to gain ground in second, thanks to a 6-2 defeat of Old Cranleighan with Kyle White netting three of their goals.  Two goals in the last quarter saw Richmond win 3-2 at Brighton & Hove and keep them third on ten points, ahead of Exeter University on goal difference after the students beat Old Loughtonians 2-0 thanks to two Harry Markham goals. Team Bath Buccaneers won for the first time this season, a Dylan Holland brace key to a 2-1 win at Sevenoaks.

The top v bottom encounter in Conference East unsurprisingly followed the form book with Spencer beating Wimbledon 2s 5-2 with Ross Watkins netting a brace. Indian Gymkhana are unbeaten and a point behind Spencer after a 6-0 defeat of Surbiton 2s, with James Tindall scoring twice against one of his previous clubs. Guildford and London Wayfarers are a point further back after 2-1 wins against Old Georgians 2s and Ipswich respectively. The battle of the ampersands saw Hampstead & Westminster 2s and Bromley & Beckenham draw 2-2.

Whereas their 1^st team are struggling Nottingham University 2s have one of only two 100% records in the mens league and top Conference Midlands.  They won the University 2s battle at Birmingham 3-1 and are three points clear of Stourport. Stourport recorded their fourth win in five in a match-up between two promoted teams at Banbury, Si Claris scoring twice in a 3-0 win. Norwich City are up to third after a third consecutive win, 5-3 over Barford Tigers despite a late hat-trick of corners for Isaac Farmilo.  St Albans and Harleston Magpies drew 3-3 and Bedford saw a three goal half time lead levelled within 15 minutes of the restart by City of Peterborough but won the game through Vince Pretorious; a result which leaves Peterborough bottom of the table.

Promoted Lindum continue to lead the way in Conference North. They came away from Ben Rhydding with a 3-1 win with two goals from Adam Dixon and one for James Niven before a late consolation scored by Will Musgrave. Timperley and Doncaster remain a point back after wins at the weekend. Goals from Josh Higgin and Luke Davis Foo saw Timperley to a 2-0 win at Brooklands MU 2  and Doncaster won the South Yorkshire derby against Sheffield 4-1 with Tim Shelley netting a hat-trick. Ethan Price scored both Oxton’s goals from corners in a 2-1 win at Beeston 2s, to gain their first points of the season.  The Belper – Wakefield game fell foul of the weather.

There is no change at the top of Conference West where Bristol University and Oxford Hawks are both looking to make an immediate return to Division One. Bristol won 4-2 at bottom of the table Plymouth Marjon after a dominating first half saw them 4-1 ahead. Hawks also won away in Devon, 2-1 at Ashmoor. Isca are two points back after winning the Exter derby against the University 2s 1-0. Clifton Robinsons were the weekend’s highest scorers outside of the Premier Division, beating Fareham 8-2. Cheltenham put daylight between themselves and ninth placed Chichester with a 2-1 win.