Review of week four of the English Hockey League

Barnes top the table in Womens Division 1 South by continuing with winning ways with an impressive fourth win over Slough 2-0 with Alice Huddlestone finding the net to score both of their goals. Guildford pickup up their first win of the season beating University of Exeter 1-2 with Lauren Martin scoring twice for Guildford this now puts them 1 point ahead in the table after Bristol Firebrands missed out on taking any points in a closely contested game against Southgate with a final score of 1-2. Surbiton 2s capitalized on a 1-3 win over Sevenoaks to see them second in the table whilst Harleston Magpies secured a 1-0 victory over Wimbledon 2s with Jessica Edmondson-Bloom scoring from a penalty corner in the 65th minute.

Things are hotting up in Division One North as Buckingham now move to top of the table having beaten Gloucester City 5-0 with Sophie Crawshay scoring a hat trick while Durham University slip to second but only on a goal difference of one having beaten pendle forest 5-2 with Evelyn Wilson scoring four of their five goals, this could be an exciting encounter when Durham travel to play Buckingham on 9th November. Ben Rhydding found winning ways to secure their second win of the season beating Repton 1-0 with a field goal scored by Sophie Davies in the 47th minute. After their defeat to Buckingham last weekend Olton are back to winning ways to secure another 4-2 win over Wakefield & maintain third place in the table, while Lauren Burrell, Lucy Millington & Katy Windsor all helped Beeston beat a struggling Leicester City 4-0 who have only managed one win so far this season.

Reading narrowly maintain their lead at the top of the table with Bryony Woods scoring in the 67th & 70th minute from two penalty corners to draw 2-2 with Witney after Witney had gone 2-0 up in the first half courtesy of a field goal from Ellie Norton 21 minutes in who then also converted a penalty stroke awarded just before the half time whistle.

TBB battled out a 3-3 draw with Trojans, to see both teams fourth & fifth in the table, while Clifton Robinsons 3-1 win over Cheltenham see them second in the table only two points behind Reading.

Marlow hosted Lansdown both newly promoted to Conference West, which saw Marlow take their first win of the season 2-0 with goals from Ellie Yeomans & Martha Goodridge Swansea travelled to Exeter & secured a 3-0 win with goals from Olivia Forey, Issy Lander & Ruth Bowe.

Bowdon 2s great start to Conference North this Season ended with a narrow 1-0 defeat away to Durham University 2s with Alice Lamb scoring the only goal in the 45th minute. Harrogate secured a 0-0 drew away to Whitley Bay & Tynemouth giving Harrogate their first point of this season. Struggling Doncaster saw them fail to find another win losing 2-0 to Didsbury Northern with goals for Didsbury being scored by Michelle Mortimer – Collier & Lucy Ginn. Leeds took all 3 points with an away win at Newcastle University beating the home side 5-2 Leeds Alice Blades & Anna Rutherford scoring two goal a piece and Jess Rutherford scoring the other one. Alderley having lost their opening game to Newcastle University maintain their unbeaten record beating Fylde 2-0 currently in fourth place in the table they are sandwiched between Durham University & Whitley Bay & Tynemouth who are also on 7 points with only a one goal difference either way separating these three teams.

Cari Davies changed London Wayfarers last minute scoring against Old Georgians last weekend to opening the scoring against East London this weekend with a goal on 2 minutes they then went on to secure a 3-1 win to still be top of the Conference East table. Teddington secured a 4-3 win over Spencer and now only trail London Wayfarers by a goal difference of two. Old Georgians could only secure a 0-0 drew to a struggling Wapping side giving the away side their first point of the season. Hampstead & Westminster 2s narrowly secured a 1-0 victory over Canterbury with Bente Eggnik scoring the only goal of the game. Whilst struggling Sevenoaks 2s picked up their first 3 points with a 2-0 win over Old Loughtonians, Yasmin Thomas scoring both goals.

Cambridge City got back to winning ways in Conference Midlands beating Cannock away 4-0 with Holly Dean scoring a hat trick for the visitors. Loughborough Students 2s maintain their top after a narrow 1-0 victory over Beeston 2s. Stourport suffered their first defeat of the season losing 2-0 to Sevenoaks Georgina Hampson scoring both Sevenoaks goals in the first quarter. Two University sides batted it out with Cambridge University coming out on top of University of Birmingham 2s with a 2-0 win to secure them second place in the table leaving them only 1 point behind top of the table Loughborough Students 2s. Oxford Hawks took all 3 points to secure their second win of the season over Bedford with goals from Lexie Spurr & Sandra Roche.

Brooklands MU University with a 5-1 win over Lindum secures them top spot in the Mens Division One North table. Deeside Ramblers home game v Olton could only see the home side draw 2-2 allowing the visitors to equalize from a penalty corner scored by Chris Beck late on in the game. Whilst Loughborough Students 5-3 win over Stourport puts them third in the table they are in touching distance of Deeside Ramblers with only a difference of two goals scored which is keeping Deeside second in the table. Harborne maintain their home winning record with a 3-1 win over University of Birmingham with goals from Alexander Idoine, Oliver Horsler & Tom Poustie & University of Nottingham hosted Durham University on Saturday securing a 4-0 win.

Division One South leaders, Reading, maintain their position at the top after another away win over University of Exeter with Sam Welsh scoring two of their four goals. This now puts them four points ahead of Indian Gymkhana who hosted Old Loughtonians, in a thrilling game resulting in a 4-4 draw. Havant had another 3-3 draw to Teddington which now puts them fourth in the table, whilst Team Bath Buccaneers suffered their first loss of the season losing 3-1 to Sevenoaks at home with two of Sevenoaks goals scored by Joe Naughalty & one from Fergus Jackson. Bristol University secured their first win of the season by beating Canterbury 2-0 which now puts Canterbury bottom of the table.

Spencer have now knocked Wimbledon 2s from the top of Conference East by securing a narrow 2-1 win over them. Spencer sealed the victory in the 64th minute when Sebastain Shaw converted a penalty Corner. Surbiton 2s 3-2 loss to London Wayfarers is their second consecutive loss. Old Cranleighans travelled to Brighton & Hove to secure an impressive 5-1 victory, while Hampstead & Westminster through Lucas Smart beat Bromley & Beckenham 1-0 Newly promoted West Herts & Tunbridge Wells battled out a 2-2 draw with Bill Gage scoring both goals for West Herts & Alex Salmon scoring both goals for Tunbridge Wells.

Repton’s 3-0 win over St Albans has now knocked St Albans off the top of Conference Midlands and Chelmsford’s impressive 5-2 win over Harleston Magpies moves them into the top spot with David Agar scoring a hat trick for Chelmsford. Norwich city secured a 4-2 win over University of Birmingham 2s whilst Banbury travelled to Cambridge City and Joseph Bostock’s only goal of the game gave Banbury their first win of the season. Nottingham University 2s. hosted Barford Tigers on Saturday which resulted in a closely contested game finishing 2-2 this now puts Barford Tigers 1 point ahead in the table from University of Nottingham.

Doncaster and Timperley are still level on points at the top of Conference North, but Timperley have closed in on Doncaster’s superior goal difference with a 4-2 win over Wakefield, while Doncaster still maintain their 100% record with a 5-3 victory away to Didsbury Northern. Oxton’s Ethan Price’s hat trick in their 5-2 win over Brooklands Manchester University see them into third place in the table. Sheffield narrowly beat struggling Durham University 2s to a 2-1 win and Leeds took their second win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Ben Rhydding.

Conference West leaders Guildford maintain their position at the top after another away win. Guildford travelled to Bath; Ed Tristem’s hat trick helped them secure another impressive 6-0 win against newly promoted Team Bath Buccaneers 2s.

Chichester also recorded a 6-0 victory over Isca with Will Leleu back in action this week scoring in the first minute of the game. Elsewhere Reading 2s travelled to University of Exeter on Saturday and narrowly missed out losing 1-0 in a closely contested battle with William Whitmore scoring for University of Exeter from a Penalty corner in the 41st minute giving the home side all 3 points. Clifton Robinsons sealed another 2-1 win over Oxford Hawks with Ben Stone scoring both goals for Clifton Robinsons and struggling Ashmoor lost to Fareham 4-0.