Review of Week 8 of the England Hockey League

Loughborough Students stay out in front of Men’s Division One North after coming out on top in their all-student derby at Birmingham University. Two goals from Alex Chihota and one for Francois Vaysse-Baird gave them a comfortable 3-0 win. It was less comfortable for second placed Brooklands MU who came from two down to beat Olton & West Warwicks, 3-2 with Stefan Ray-Hills netting the winner, his second goal of the game, with just a minute left on the clock. Third placed Nottingham University trailed 1-0 at Stourport at half time but powered back with five goals in a 17 minute period, including braces for Edward Brice and Zak Buck, to win 5-1. A last minute penalty stroke conversion by Ghazanfar Ali sealed a super second half comeback for Deeside Ramblers from 3-0 down to 3-3 against Durham University. Lindum will be buoyed by a 3-2 win at Harborne, their first win of the season and moves them within five points of safety.

Reading kept up their four point advantage at the top of Division One South with a 4-1 win against Team Bath Buccaneers. Bath pushed Reading close but two late Charlie Ellison corners confirmed the points for Reading. Indian Gymkhana, who are in second, were made to work hard by bottom of the table Canterbury before emerging 4-3 winners. Third placed Teddington also had a narrow win against lowly opposition, winning 3-2 at Bristol University. Old Loughtonians beat Exeter University 3-1 and Sevenoaks ran out 4-1 winners against Havant.

Timperley stay five points clear at the top Conference North but after recent high scoring wins found Saturday’s opposition Ben Rhydding a tougher nut to crack. It took a 66th minute winner from Cameron Lewis to keep their 100% record going with a 3-2 win. A Jack Fletcher four timer was instrumental in second placed Leeds 5-1 win at Oxton. Doncaster took the honours in the Friday Night Lights derby with Sheffield, winning 2-1. There was another narrow derby win with Didsbury Northern overcoming Brooklands MU 2s 1-0. Bottom of the table Wakefield closed the gap to safety to two points beating Durham University 2s 3-1, their first win of the season.

A solitary goal from Matthew Plater was enough to give Conference East leaders London Wayfarers the points in a 1-0 victory at Tunbridge Wells. Spencer who were level on points going into the weekend lost 4-2 at Brighton & Hove. This was a good win for the Sussex side who are battling to avoid a second successive relegation, Adam Flett scored two of their goals. Surbiton 2s go second after their 2-0 defeat of Bromley & Beckenham. Hampstead & Westminster beat Wimbledon 4-1 in an all-2nd XI battle and Old Cranleighan beat West Herts 4-2 to establish a six point lead over them in the process.

The top two met in Conference Midlands and it was Repton who came home with the points and established a three point lead over defeated Chelmsford in the process. David Agar gave Chelmsford a half time lead but second half goals from Adam Dixon, Ethan Smythe and Sam Cossey gave Repton a 3-1 win. Barford Tigers go third thanks to a 6-0 win against Harleston Magpies and go above St Albans, who drew 1-1 at Norwich City, on goal difference. Bottom of the table Cambridge City won for the first time, 3-1 against Nottingham University 2s and Banbury picked up three useful points in their quest to keep out of the danger zone, winning 2-1 at Birmingham University 2s.

Guildford kept up their 100% record in Conference West but were made to work hard for it by Oxford Hawks restricting them to a 2-1 win. Nearest rivals Clifton Robinsons got back on track with a 4-1 win at Isca. Ashmoor beat bottom of the table Team Bath Buccaneers 2s 2-1 and elsewhere saw two draws. 1-1 between Reading 2s and Chichester and 2-2 for Fareham v Exeter University 2s.

The top two teams going into Saturday’s Women’s Division One South fixtures both lost with the title race opened up as a result. Leaders Barnes remain top but saw their lead cut to a point with Surbiton 2s, who beat them 3-2, now second. They go above Exeter University who were well beaten by Southgate, Emma McIntyre and Kate MacCullum both scoring twice in a 4-1 win for Southgate. Guildford are third, a point behind Surbiton, Sophie Byrne scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Slough who slip to ninth. Wimbledon 2s, who lost 1-0 to Sevenoaks, are now tenth as previous incumbents Bristol Firebrands beat Harleston Magpies by the same score line to jump to eighth.

Top played bottom in Division One North and the form book adhered to with leaders Durham University maintaining their 100% record with a 6-0 win. Evelyn Wilson scored a hat-trick and Amelie Hales two as Durham kept their six point advantage over second played Buckingham. Buckingham also had a convincing victory, 5-0, over second bottom Leicester City with Sophia Crawshay netting four. Olton & West Warwicks are level on points with Buckingham after a narrow 4-3 defeat of Ben Rhydding having trailed twice in the first half. Beeston are three points further back with a game in hand. They will have enjoyed a 3-0 win at East Midlands rivals Repton. Gloucester City and Pendle Forest played out a 5-5 draw. There were hat-tricks for Forest’s Charlotte Hartley and Gloucester’s Emma Williams, which included a 69th minute equaliser, the last goal action in a fluctuating game.

Reading 2s also have a six point lead in Conference West. Hannah Kilpatrick scored twice in their 4-1 win over Cheltenham. Second placed Trojans also had a convincing win, 5-1 against Clifton Robinsons 2s, as did Lansdown in third, who overcame Team Bath Buccaneers 4-1. The bottom four met in the other two games and both ended all-square. Bottom of the table Witney earned their second point in a 2-2 draw with Exeter who sit a place above them and Swansea and Marlow ended 1-1.

Conference North leaders Leeds won 3-1 at Bowdon 2s to stay a point clear of Fylde. Fylde won a thriller at Durham University 2s 4-3. Florencia Zappulla converted an overtime corner for the winner after Durham had equalised three minutes earlier. Whitley Bay jumped from sixth to third thanks to a 3-1 defeat of Didsbury Northern. Two goals from Ellie O’Neill helped ninth place Doncaster to a useful 2-1 victory over Alderley Edge and they closed the gap on Newcastle University to three points after Newcastle were held 3-3 by bottom of the table Harrogate. Leix Ramshay netted a 69th minute equaliser for Harrogate, to earn their second point of the campaign.

Conference East leaders Teddington were surprisingly held 1-1 by ninth placed East London. London Wayfarers who were second going into Saturday were unable to take advantage as they too were held, 1-1 at Old Loughtonians and Hampstead & Westminster 2s go above them after their 3-0 defeat of Wapping. Spencer are also in touch at the top thanks to a 1-0 win against Canterbury. Old Georgians beat Sevenoaks 2s 5-0.

Conference Midlands leaders Loughborough Students 2 were beaten for the first time this season going down 4-2 at Birmingham University 2s. Cambridge University go second and closed the gap to three points but failed to take full advantage drawing 1-1 with St Albans. Stourport who trailed Loughborough by three points before Saturday were also unable to take advantage losing 1-0 at Bedford. These were Bedford’s first points since the opening week of the season and whilst still bottom they are now just a point behind three teams on seven points. Of these Beeston 2s went level of points with Cannock beating them 1-0 whilst Oxford Hawks lost 4-3 at home to Cambridge City.