Men's England Hockey League Week 2 2022 Review

Surbiton's second-half power was the difference in their match with East Grinstead on Saturday. Going into the halftime break with a 1-0 lead courtesy of an Alex Williams second minute penalty corner, Mark Pearn's wise words made all the difference as Surbiton upped the tempo in the second half.

Adam Buckle started the onslaught in the 43rd minute before Luke Taylor scored the first of two penalty corners three minutes later. David Goodfield added another to take the score to 4-0. To pile the misery on further, Surbiton scored twice in a minute with Alex Williams (69) and Luke Taylor (69) with his second of the game to wrap things up with a 6-0 victory.

After an opening day draw with Surbiton, Holcombe moved into second place with a 3-1 victory over Hampstead & Westminster. With all goals coming in the second half, Hayden Phillips opened the scoring in the 46th minute before Matt Guise-Brown drew things level with a trademark penalty corner. Tom Russell (60) and Nick Bandurak (63) added late goals for the hosts to secure all three points and take advantage of Old Georgians and Wimbledon being away on Euro Hockey League duty.

The University of Nottingham and Brooklands Manchester University met in the Match of the Week. With both sides going into the match pointless, the University of Nottingham struck first through Louis Tipper (30). Andrew Jackson (53) pulled the game level for Brooklands MU, ensurting a tense final quarter. With time running out, and the match destined to end in a draw, University of Nottingham won a penalty corner. Conor Williamson stepped up and fired home as the final whistle went, sending the University of Nottingham back home with their first victory in the Premier Division.

Rounding off the university sides' action in the Premier Division, the University of Exeter welcomed Oxted to Devon. With the game's only goal, Seb Ansley gave the home side all three points and their first win of the season.

Beeston also benefitted from a late goal as they welcomed Reading to the Nottingham Hockey Centre. Balraj Panesar (35) scored with an open play tap-in five seconds before halftime. Harry Skinner (45) was on target for Reading to bring the scores level before Jamie Golden (61) gave Beeston the lead - and ultimately the victory - with nine minutes to go.

Durham University came from behind to win 4-2 at Olton & West Warwickshire. Trailing 2-1 at halftime through Stuart Pilgrim (6) and a Chris Beck (8) penalty corner, Raunag Rai reduced the deficit in the 27th minute going into the halftime break. Harry Bhogal (45) brought the scores level before Freddie Britt's penalty stroke (52) and Rod Wilson (69) rounded off the scoring for Durham.

Bowdon travelled to Belper, keen to extend their perfect start to the campaign. The visitors only had to wait until the eighth minute when Carlos Hollyman gave his side the lead. Corners from James Stables (31) and Robert Creffer (57) put Bowdon three goals to the good. Scott Marsh (59) pulled one back for Belper with his own PC.

Loughborough Students, who had a 7-0 opening day win, found things far tougher in South Wales as they suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Cardiff & Met. Rhys Gowman (10), Bent Kranz (36), Tom Wood (41) and Owain Dolan-Gray (65) all registered field goals for the home side before Rory Penrose (69-PC) scored a last-minute consolation.

The University of Birmingham travelled to Deeside Ramblers, with both sides looking for their first points of the season. Straight from the start, both sides were trading chances as the University of Birmingham took the lead through Tom Spring (8) before an Ali Ghazanfar (50) penalty corner equalled for Deeside Ramblers. James Scott (63) was on target again for UOB, Tom Fearnall (69) levelling again just before the final whistle.

Barford Tigers welcomed Cambridge City, looking to maintain their winning start to the season. Ahmad Nadeem (14) gave the Tigers the halftime lead before Duncan Rudd (50) brought Cambridge back into the match. A very Late penalty stroke from Conor Anand (67) gave the visitors three points and their first of the season.

Old Loughtonians continued their dominant start to life back in Division 1 South with a crushing 5-1 victory over Old Cranleighan on Saturday evening. Will Godfrey hit the net from a third-minute penalty corner to give Old Loughtonians the perfect start. Old Cranleighan fought back and levelled the scores through James Cutter (24) before the hosts ran away with the game in the second half. Two penalty strokes in quick succession by Ed Fleet (46, 52) gave the home side a commanding lead before Tom Watson (54, 57) added a brace of his own.

Free-scoring Southgate continued their good start with a 5-1 victory over Teddington. Robbie Shepherdson (12) gave the hosts a scare as Teddington took the lead. The advantage would last only three minutes before Dan West (15) pulled the scores level and started Southgate on their way to a dominant win. Goals from Matt Ramshaw (35, 70-PC) and Teague Marcano (40-PC, 55-PC) completed the rout.

Canterbury moved into third place with a 4-0 win over the travelling Oxford Hawks in the weekend's other Saturday fixture.

Brighton & Hove welcomed University of Bristol to the South Coast, with both sides looking to bounce back from opening day defeats. Two field goals for Brighton & Hove from Jamie Francis (14) and Steve Perry (54) were not enough to secure the win, as Will Jones (33) and Richie Sansome (49) scored penalty corners for University of Bristol to ensure the points were shared.

Team Bath Buccaneers ensured the long journey to Kent wasn't in vain with a 2-1 win over Sevenoaks. Stuart Loughrey (5) gave the visitors the lead from the penalty spot before Paul Macleod (14) pulled things level. Scott Rawlings converted a penalty corner in the 59th minute to take all three points back to Somerset.

Spencer and Surbiton 2 are the only sides with a 100% record in Conference East. Spencer lined up against Guildford for an eight-goal thriller, with the home side scoring two in two minutes before adding a third three minutes later. Guildford brought the match back to 3-2 with goals from Ross Fergusson (24-PC) and Cameron Baker (28-PC) before Kirk Shimmins (43) and Neil Hamilton (44-PC) restored the advantage. Baker (65) added a late penalty corner, but it was too little too late.

Surbiton 2 travelled to Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre to face Wapping with nothing but a win in mind. Matthew Hughson (23) gave the visitors the lead before Davis Taylor-Bargent (34) equalised on the stroke of halftime. Surbiton 2 were the strongest in the second half, adding to their tally through Rhys Linnell (61-PS) and Jack Hobkirk (66).

Elsewhere London Wayfarers did the job early on to take all three points with a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime, thanks to Rich Jackson (4), Ed Peel (8) and Joshua Keeling (22). Joey Brownill (61) pulled one back for Hampstead & Westminster 2's visitors.

Richmond and Oxford University played out an entertaining 6-2 match at the Quintin Hogg Memorial Ground with all bar one goal coming in the second half from open play. Mat Ming opened the scoring with a fifth-minute penalty corner, Jordan Hussell 39-FG,  Sam Anderson 42-FG, Josh Smith 44-PC, 58-FG and Scott Wall 63-FG all with the goals for Richmond. Oxford University struck with two late goals through Euan Dyer (69) and Myles Alexander-Bryan (70).

The day's top scores came at the Gymkhana club as fans got to see a very entertaining, end-to-end and attacking style of hockey as Indian Gymkhana and Bromley Beckenham saw out a 5-5 draw. Hammadudin Anjum (17), Gagan Hanspal (26), Ajaz Ahmed (51-PC) and Rizwan Ali (56-PC, 68-PC) scored for the hosts. Lewis Fraser (9-PC, 65-PC), Juan Gomez Sanchez (24-PC, 41-FG) and Ronan Cassella (47) scored to take a share of the points for Bromley & Beckenham.  

Harborne had a day to remember as they hosted Bedford. The home side dominated, opening the scoring in the first minute through Mike Baddeley, as they raced away to a five-goal lead before a reply from their visitors. The second half was much the same as Harborne added a further four goals and Bedford two to their tallies to end the match 9-3. Peter Jackson bagged four goals along the way.

Norwich City were also high scorers in the Conference with a 7-2 victory on the road at Loughborough Town. Chris Wardale opened the scoring in the sixth minute, then Ben Chapman scored the first of his brace (9, 22) before Cameron Cooke started his hattrick (13, 28, 60), and Louis Preston added to the score in the 51st. David Henderson (24) and Andrew Capel (52) were on the scoresheet for Loughborough.

City of Peterborough enjoyed a 3-1 win away at Lichfield; a two-minute double from Joe Finding (33-PC) and Gareth Andrew (35) made the halftime talk a little easier for the visitors. Rob Gray (53-PC) pulled one back for Lichfield before Matt Goodley (68) restored the two-goal advantage.

St Albans picked up their first win in their home game with Harleston Magpies, Ian Scalon (21) and Dave Williams (34) scoring before halftime for the hosts, Sam Crawford (44-PC) halving the deficit for the visitors.

A varsity battle between University of Nottingham 2 and University of Birmingham 2 ended in a 2-2 draw. As goals were traded one for one, Harry Paterson (22) and Conor Quinn (39) were on the scoresheet for UON2 as Charlie Wolff (25), and Justin Ross (62) secured the draw.

Beeston 2 moved to the top of the table, and became the only team with a 100% record in the Conference North as Matt Abel (2) gave the visitors the perfect start against Timperley. Robin Cooper (13) and Harry Jackson's (38) goals were not enough to prevent the loss for the home side as Conor Webb (21) and Jacob Read (46) added to Beeston 2's tally.

Second-placed Leeds welcomed Doncaster to Weetwood. In a rather unusual goal-scoring pattern, with the opposition scoring within two minutes of the opponent's goal time, both teams traded chances and goals. A goal for either side within one minute of halftime, through George Goodwin (34) and Joshua Oades (35) for Leeds and Doncaster, respectively. Oliver Cook (41) and Zain Davenport (43) stepped up next before Oliver Manson (62) and Joshua Oades (63) rounded out the scoring.

Didsbury Northern and Sheffield Hallam also saw out a tied match with three goals a piece. Robert Trem (4) and Dominic Ashley (47, 65) were on the scoresheet for Didsbury Northern, with  Martin Sutherland (24) and a brace from James Wright (35, 49) for Sheffield Hallam.

Wakefield were the next side to hit three goals as they travelled to Preston. Wakefield took the advantage with a Greg Moorhouse double (2,48) and Ethan Stuckley's field goal (8), whilst Josh McGee (55) and Cam Lewis (56) opened their tallies for Preston. Manchester Brooklands University 2 will be frustrated as they sit at the lower end of the table after a 1-1 home draw with Ben Rhydding. Nick Jeffs added to his tally for Brooklands MU2, whilst Mark Portnell (64) was on the scoresheet for Ben Rhydding.

In another high-scoring game, Havant produced some of their best hockey to topple visitors Cardiff University 8-2. Christopher Smith (4-PC, 15-PC), Owen Barnes (19), Morgan Sturt (42), James Speke (50, 60, 61), and Maciej Janiszewski (70) were all on target for Havant, whilst Tobias Chan (37) and Matthew Cooper (51) scored for Cardiff University.

Plymouth Marjon picked up from last week's draw with Fareham to beat hosts Cardiff & Met 2 by three goals to nil. Jon Tew (4-PC) and Matt Butt (43, 53) getting the goals.

Isca also hit three goals on their way to a 3-1 win over Chichester. Charlie Harvey (20), Tom Brooks (29) and Cuthnurt Shepherd (39) with the goals. Josh Steel (27) was on the scoresheet for the visitors.

Clifton Robinsons saw out a 2-2 draw with near neighbours Ashmoor. With all goals coming in the second half, Ashmoor left it late to ensure the points would be shared through a Jamie Bishop 67th-minute penalty corner. The other goals came from Richard Fisher (48) for Ashmoor, and Isaac Hocking (41) and Micah Smithard (63) for the hosts.