Review of week two of the England Hockey League

Three teams have made 100% starts in Division One North. Durham University lead the way after winning 4-1 at relegated Beeston. Buckingham are second as two Jo Day goals helped hem to a 3-1 win at Wakefield and Olton won 2-1 at Gloucester City. Promoted Pendle Forest gained a first point in a 2-2 draw at Ben Rhydding and the other promoted team, Repton, went down 3-1 at Leicester City.

Exeter University have made a good start to their time back in Division One South and won for the second successive week, a 4-1 defeat of Harleston Magpies who will take solace that that is their longest trip of the season, a 620 mile round trip, the longest in the league. Barnes are also two from two having seen off London rivals Southgate 4-2. Surbiton 2s are the only other unbeaten side on the Division. They came from behind to beat Slough 2-1 with Matilda Gibson netting a 64^th minute winner. Promoted Guildford lost 3-0 at home to Sevenoaks and Bristol Firebrands went down 4-0 to visiting Wimbledon 2s for whom Kitty Baccanello netted twice.

Newcomers Lansdown are top of Conference West after two Emma Howitt goals helped them to a 3-1 derby win at Cheltenham. Reading 2s are second coming away from Exeter with a 4-1 win. Claire Jones scored both in Clifton Robinsons 2s 2-1 defeat of Team Bath Buccaneers. Harriet Barker was another to score twice, in securing a 2-0 win for Swansea over Witney. Trojans beat promoted Marlow 1-0.

A convincing 8-2 win for Bowdon 2s over Newcastle University puts them top of Conference North. There was a hat-trick for Jeorgia Carr and two for both Annabel Mills and Liz Aitcheson. Whitley Bay & Tynemouth are enjoying life back in the league and are second after getting their second win, 2-0 against Fylde.  The other promoted team, Alderley Edge, picked up their first points beating Harrogate 2-1. Leeds and Didsbury Northern drew 1-1 and Doncaster are finding it hard after their switch from Conference Midlands, losing for the second successive week, 4-0 at home to Durham University 2s.

Cambridge City have made the early running in Conference Midlands and won for the second week running, 3-1 at home to Bedford. Only Stourport and Loughborough Students 2s also remain unbeaten.  Sade Gerald scored twice in Stourport’s 3-2 defeat of Cambridge University whilst Loughborough came out 7-4 winners away at Oxford Hawks, Amy Cradden and Maddison Scott both getting braces. There were first wins of the season for Beeston 2s and St Albans who beat Birmingham University 2s 2-1 and Cannock 3-2 respectively.

London Wayfarers and Teddington are the only two teams with maximum points in Conference East. Wayfarers beat Wapping 1-0 and Teddington overcame Old Loughtonians 3-0. Spencer and Hampstead & Westminster 2s are unbeaten after sharing six goals, Gillian Pinder converting a last gasp corner to level things up for Spencer. Katherine Round hit a hat-trick as East London beat promoted Sevenoaks 2s 4-1 and Old Georgians won 2-1 at Canterbury to leave the two Kent teams in the bottom two places in the table.

 

Relegated Reading have made a bright start back in Division One South and top the table with six points. They won 2-0 at Canterbury, Chirs Wyver keeping a clean sheet against his former colleagues. Two goals from Rizwan Ali helped Indian Gymkhana to a point in a 2-2 draw at Exeter University. They are one of three teams on four points. The others, Teddington beat Old Loughtonians 2-1 with Noah Jones scoring both and Havant, who drew 0-0 at Team Bath Buccaneers. Joe Naughalty hit a hat-trick for Sevenoaks against Bristol University, a 6-0 defeat leaving Bristol bottom of the table.

Deeside Ramblers are the only team with two wins out of two to top Mens Division One North. The ageless Ghazanfar Ali scored twice as they beat promoted Stourport 4-1, Stourport one of three teams yet to pick up a point. After wins last week Brooklands MU and Harborne are two points back after drawing  2-2 with James Sutcliffe grabbing a last minute equaliser for Brooklands. Promoted Lindum are another team looking for their first point after losing 3-2 at Durham University. Birmingham University enjoyed a 4-1 win over students counterparts Nottingham and Loughborough Students beat Olton & West Warwicks 3-1. The Nottingham – Loughborough game, that was abandoned on Week 1, is being replayed this Friday evening.

Leaders Doncaster are one of three teams with 100% records in Conference North. They beat Durham University 2s 3-1, whilst Timperley took the honours in the Cheshire derby overcoming Brooklands MU 2s 4-1. Oxton are third and won 2-1 at Ben Rhydding.  Ed Wheeler scored three in Leeds 5-1 defeat of Deeside Ramblers whilst Wakefield and Sheffield played out a Yorkshire goalless stalemate.

Wimbledon 2s’ second win of the season puts them top of Conference East. James Evans and Kaden Draysey both scored twice in a 5-2 win at promoted Tunbridge Wells, Connor Poulain netting both of the home team’s goals. Surbiton 2s trail Wimbledon on goal difference, they also went nap winning 5-1 at West Herts. Daniel Verity scored twice in London Wayfarers 3-0 win at Brighton & Hove as they also maintained a perfect start to the season. The Spencer vs Hampstead & Westminster 2s and Bromley & Beckenham vs Old Cranleighans game both ended level, 3-3 and 2-2.

Remarkably no teams in Conference Midlands have won both their games and all teams have at least one point. St Albans and Barford Tigers are two of three teams on four points after they drew 2-2 on Saturday. Norwich City are the third and they enjoyed a 6-3 win over Chelmsford with Max Wilson and Chris Wardale both scoring two in a four goal blitz in the third quarter. The other games were both draws with Harleston  Magpies and Cambridge City ending 2-2 and Banbury – Repton one apiece.

Guildford were made to work hard by Ashmoor for their second win in Conference West with a Cameron Baker corner all that separated the teams. Clifton Robinsons also have two wins out of two and enjoyed a big derby win over Team Bath Buccaneers 2s 6-1. Reading 2s also scored six, winning 6-2 at Oxford Hawks. Two Joe Caine corners helped Fareham to a 4-2 win over Isca and Exeter University 2s and Chichester drew 2-2  

   

            

  
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