Review of week one of the England Hockey League

There were five close games to kick off Women’s Division 1 South. Barnes, who were pipped to the promotion spot last season, made a good start beating Sevenoaks 2-1 away from home with Maddie Pearce grabbing both goals.   Last year’s Champions Surbiton 2s who of course can’t be promoted were held 1-1 at Harleston Magpies. Relegated Exeter University withheld a late Wimbledon 2s fightback to win 3-2 in London. Another team who will have enjoyed their trip home along the M4 will be promoted Bristol Firebrands who won 1-0 at Slough thanks to a Lizzie Cook goal. The other promoted side, Guildford, drew 0-0 at Southgate.

Division 1 North was also a tight affair with only one game seeing more than a one goal advantage. That was at Maiden Castle where last season’s runners-up  Durham University beat Leicester City 2-0 thanks to goals from Lizzy Pocknell and Scarlett Spavin. Olton beat relegated Beeston 2-1 with two Martina Grace goals and Buckingham beat Ben Rhydding by the same scoreline. There were mixed fortunes for the promoted teams. Repton beat Gloucester City 2-1 whilst Pendle Forest wert down 1-0 at home to Wakefield.

In Conference East It was a baptism of fire for promoted Sevenoaks 2 who lost 6-0 at home to London Wayfarers, for whom Olivia Lee-Smith netted a hat-trick and Cari Davies two. Two Maddie Newlyn goals helped Old Loughtonians to a 3-1 win at Old Georgians and it was a similar scoreline for Spencer at Wapping and Hampstead & Westminster 2s at home to East London.  Relegated Canterbury lost 3-0 at Teddington.

Promoted Cambridge University made a great start to life in Conference Midlands with a 5-1 win at Cannock. Cambridge City and St Albans were title challengers last season and in their meeting on Saturday Cambridge came out on top 2-0. Two Emily Smith goals helped Oxford Hawks to a win by the same scoreline at Birmingham University 2s. A last gasp penalty corner from Sade Gerald earned relegated Stourport a point in a 1-1 draw at Loughborough Students 2 and Bedford beat Beeston 2s 1-0.

There were doubles for Freya Bellamy and Jeorgia Carr as Bowdon 2s won 6-0 at Doncaster in Conference North. Victoria Hill went one better with a hat-trick for Leeds in their 5-1 Yorkshire derby win at Harrogate. Another derby in the North East saw Whitley Bay & Tynemouth make a great start to life back in the EHL with a 3-2 at Durham University 2s. Promoted Alderley Edge had a less successful trip to the North East losing 2-0 at Newcastle University and Fylde won 2-1 at Didsbury Northern.     

Emma Howitt scored a hat-trick as Conference West newcomers Lansdown beat Trojans 4-1. Marlow, who are also new to the EHL drew 3-3 with Clifton Robinsons 2s.  Emily Hobbs  scored three as Cheltenham overcame Exeter 4-2. The two relegated teams had differing fortunes with Team Bath Buccaneers winning 1-0 at Witney but Swansea went down 2-1 at Reading 2s.

It was a tough introduction to Division 1 North for both promoted teams. Stourport travelled to old rivals Olton & West Warwicks and were beaten 6-2, Ben Hurst scoring twice for the home team and Si Claris getting both the visitor’s goals. Lindum entertained Deeside Ramblers and led 3-1 in Q3 before Ramblers upped a gear to run out 5-3 winners. Seasons come and go but Peter Flanagan keeps scoring for Brooklands MU, netting twice in Brooklands MU’s 3-0 win at Birmingham University. The all-student Nottingham-Loughborough derby fell foul of Saturday evening’s storms and will be replayed.  Harborne beat Durham University 3-1 earlier in the day.

Indian Gymkhana made a great start to life in Division 1 South beating Sevenoaks 4-2 whilst the other promoted team, Bristol University lost by the same scoreline at relegated Reading. The Havant – Exeter University game was a nine-goal thriller only settled in the 70th minute by Viacheslav Paziuk’s corner conversion, a minute after Nathan Gladman had seemingly tied things up  at 4-4 for Exeter. Last gasp goals were the order of the day, Canterbury’s Josh Prebble converted a corner that gave the Kent side the share of the spoils in a 3-3 draw at last season’s runners up Teddington and Alex Bickerstaff struck in the 69^th minute for Team Bath Buccaneers to level it up 2-2 at Old Loughtonians.

A 70^th minute corner strike from London Wayfarers’ Ben McGeoch gave last season’s Conference East  runners up the points in a 2-1 win at relegated Old Cranleighans. Wimbledon 2s were the big winners, overcoming newly promoted West Herts 6-1. There was better news for the other promoted team Tunbridge Wells, who drew 1-1 at Hampstead & Westminster 2s. Relegated Brighton & Hove went down 4-1 at Surbiton 2s and Spencer won 3-1 at Bromley & Beckenham.

Nottingham University 2s finished champions of Conference Midlands last season but were ineligible for promotion as their 1s are in Division 1. They got off to a winning start with a 4-3 defeat of Harleston Magpies.  Jackson Le Neal scored twice as Barford Tigers won their derby game at Birmingham University 2s 3-2. St Albans got off to a good start with a 5-0 win at relegated Cambridge City. An early second half corner from Sam Lowe was enough to give promoted Chelmsford a 1-0 win over Banbury. The other promoted team, Repton, drew 3-3 with Norwich City.

Timperley, who were pipped to the Conference North title last season, won 3-0 at promoted Durham University 2s thanks to a three goal salvo in the first 10 minutes. Doncaster who were also  in title contention in 2023-24 beat Wakefield 4-0 in one of two Yorkshire derbies, the other saw Sheffield beat Ben Rhydding 2-1. Promoted Didsbury Northern lost 3-2 at home to Oxton despite two goals for Robert Trem, Ethan Price netting two for the visitors.  Brooklands MU 2s and Leeds played out a 1-1 draw.

Guildford have moved laterally from Conference East to West and enjoyed a 6-0 winning start at promoted Reading 2s with Raphael Boulanger and Ed Tristem both scoring twice. Last year’s runners up Isca overcame Devon rivals Ashmoor 4-1 and there were also wins for Oxford Hawks, 2-0 at Chichester and Clifton Robinsons, 3-2 at home to Fareham. Promoted Team Bath Buccaneers 2s were held to a 2-2 draw by Exeter University 2s.