Week 16 Review of the England Hockey League

Second placed Brooklands MU ended Division One North leaders Loughborough Students’ unbeaten run and put the title race in the balance. A win for Loughborough at Brooklands would have confirmed them as champions but the home side ran out convincing 4-1 winners to narrow the gap between the sides to a point. Nottingham University retain a very slim chance of the tile after they won 5-2 at Deeside Ramblers. Deeside in eighth are looking the other way and will be relieved that Lindum, one place below, could only pick up one point in a 3-3 draw at Olton & West Warwicks leaving them five points adrift. Stourport, who lost their Midlands derby with Harborne 4-3 are relegated. It finished 1-1 in the all-University battle between Durham and Birmingham. 

First played second in Division One South too as Reading and Indian Gymkhana drew 3-3. Indian Gym pulled it back from 3-1 down with 10 minutes to go but the draw means Reading have a four-point advantage going into the last two games. Two Luke Cunningham goals helped relegated threatened Team Bath Buccaneers to a 2-2 draw at Teddington, only denied all three points by a late Kyle White equaliser. They are eighth, three points clear of Bristol University who are bottom and lost 2-1 to Havant and a point ahead of Canterbury. Canterbury also went down 2-1, at Old Loughtonians for whom Oliver MacIntyre netted both goals including a 70th minute corner. Sevenoaks won 2-1 at Exeter University. 

Conference North champions Timperley showed no let up and won 6-0 at Oxton. Second placed Leeds beat Durham University 2s 3-0 and Doncaster beat Ben Rhydding 4-1 to leave the defeated teams just a point above Brooklands MU who are ninth. Brooklands earned a point in a 1-1 draw at Sheffield. Wakefield, who lost 5-3 at Didsbury Northern are relegated. 

Surbiton 2s now lead Conference East by two points after they won and nearest rivals London Wayfarers drew. Surbiton beat Old Cranleighan 4-1 under Friday night lights with Ben Hanson scoring twice whilst Wayfarers were held 3-3 by Bromley & Beckenham, only securing a point thanks to Oli Hassall’s 69th minute equaliser. Relegated West Herts picked up a point in a 2-2 draw at Hampstead & Westminster 2s. There are three teams ten points above them. Old Cranleighan, Wimbledon 2s, who went down 4-3 to Brighton & Hove and Tunbridge Wells, who drew 3-3 with Spencer. 

Repton secured the Conference Midlands title to earn back to back promotions. They won 5-3 at Cambridge City, despite a hat-trick from Connor Annand. Cambridge are now ninth after Birmingham University 2s 5-3 defeat of Harleston Magpies took them out of the bottom two with Magpies now at the foot of the table. Second placed Chelmsford were held 3-3 by St Albans, Banbury beat Barford Tigers 5-3 and Norwich City overcame Nottingham University 2s 3-1. 

Guildford’s march towards the Conference West title continued with a 6-1 defeat of Fareham to leave them five points clear of Clifton Robinsons who they meet on the last week of the season. Given their vastly superior goal difference a point at Oxford Hawks will surely be enough to take the title. Robbies have pushed them hard though and beat Chichester 5-0 with Ben Stone netting his third hat-trick in as many weeks, an amazing record. Isca came from 3-0 down to secure safety with a 4-3 win in their Exeter derby with the University 2s. Reading 2s in ninth lost 4-0 to Ashmoor and are now five points behind Fareham. Oxford Hawks won 2-1 at relegated Team Bath Buccaneers 2s.

The eight Area League winners will be promoted to the league and to date the following champions are confirmed 

East – City of Peterborough

London - Southgate 2s 

South Central - Marlow

Yorkshire & NE – Newcastle University

For a summary of the top of each of the Area Premier Divisions, see link at the bottom of the article

DIVISION ONE NORTH TOP SCORERS

Simon Claris (Stourport) 26

Ghazanfar Ali (Deeside Ramblers) 13

Zak Buck (University of Nottingham) 11

Sam Dixon (Lindum) 11

DIVISION ONE NORTH CLEAN SHEETS

Yuvraj Singh Bhuhi (Loughborough Students) 4

Jamie Butler (University of Nottingham) 2

Tom Marshall (Brooklands MU) 2

DIVISION ONE SOUTH TOP SCORERS

Joe Naughalty (Sevenoaks) 20

Charlie Ellison (Reading) 13

Daman Bansal (Indian Gymkhana) 12

Oliver Macintyre (Old Loughtonians) 12

Vlaccheslav Paviuk (Havant) 12

DIVISION ONE SOUTH CLEAN SHEETS

Jack Tranter (Old Loughtonians) 3

James Carleton (University of Exeter) 2

Peter Holdbury (Team Bath Buccaneers) 2

Rory Mylroi (Sevenoaks) 2

Chris Wyver (Reading) 2

CONFERENCE EAST TOP SCORERS

Connor Poulain (Tunbridge Wells) 13

Joseph Mulholland (Bromley & Beckenham) 12

Sebastian Shaw (Spencer) 11

Adam Flett (Brighton & Hove) 10

Morgan Males (Surbiton 2) 10

Sam Paterson (London Wayfarers) 10

CONFERENCE EAST CLEAN SHEETS

Matthew Cady (Bromley & Beckenham) 3

Lekan Ogunlana (Hampstead & Westminster 2) 3

Alex Rooney (London Wayfarers) 3

CONFERENCE MIDLANDS TOP SCORERS

Cameron Cooke (Norwich City) 16

Muhammad Irfan (Barford Tigers) 16

David Agar (Chelmsford) 15

Conor Annand (Cambridge City) 13

Myles King (Harleston Magpies) 13

Joshua Nunneley (Banbury) 13

CONFERENCE MIDLANDS CLEAN SHEETS

Ambrose Davis (Repton) 3

Will Powell (Banbury) 3

Simon Dolan (Norwich City) 2

James Stock (Chelmsford) 2

CONFERENCE NORTH TOP SCORERS

Will Musgrave (Ben Rhydding) 15

Ethan Price (Oxton) 14

Matt Gibson (Doncaster) 14

George Godwin (Leeds) 12

Cameron Lewis (Timperley) 12

CONFERENCE NORTH CLEAN SHEETS

Robert Turner (Timperley) 5

Alexander Findlater (Sheffield) 3

CONFERENCE WEST TOP SCORERS

William Tristem (Guildford) 20

Ben Stone (Clifton Robinsons) 18

Ed Tristem (Guildford) 14

Sammy Dowds (Guildford) 13

CONFERENCE WEST CLEAN SHEETS

Conal Blackwell (Guildford) 5

Paddy Walton (Ashmoor) 5

Chris Bristow (Chichester) 4

Ben O’Sullivan (Clifton Robinsons) 4

Women’s Division One North leaders Durham University made short work of third placed Buckingham winning 5-0. Scarlett Spavin (2), Elena Baggett, Ava Wadsworth and Evelyn Wilson scored the goals that keep Durham three points clear at the top. Second placed Beeston, the only team to have taken points off Durham, beat relegated Wakefield 6-1. Leicester City kept alive their hopes of avoiding the drop too with a 1-0 win at Olton & West Warwicks. They are level on 15 points with Pendle Forest, who lost 3-0 at Repton. Ben Rhydding, who went down 4-1 at Gloucester City are three points further ahead. Gloucester have only lost once since the mid-season break to move clear of the relegation places.

Barres stay four points clear in Division One South. Two Aleesa Ferguson goals helped them to a 2-0 win over relegated Wimbledon 2s. Behind them Exeter University kept their title hopes alive with a 5-2 defeat of Sevenoaks. Southgate stay third after winning 2-1 at Surbiton 2s. Bristol Firebrands lost 4-3 at Guildford but their place in the Division for next season is confirmed as Slough are relegated following their 1-0 defeat at home to Harleston Magpies. 

Champions Reading 2s extended their lead at the top of Conference West to 14 points after beating second placed Trojans 1-0 thanks to a Georgia Hopkins goal. Third place Clifton Robinsons 2 were held 2-2 by Swansea. It could be a crucial point for Swansea in ninth as they are now just two points behind Marlow, who they play this week. Marlow were beaten 3-1 by Exeter, another team desperate for points to avoid the drop. Lansdown beat relegated Witney 4-0 and Team Bath Buccaneers won 5-1 at Cheltenham. 

The top two met in Conference North and a 1-1 draw means Leeds retain a three point lead over Fylde. Jess Ferguson gave Leeds the lead just after half time which they held on to until the last minute when Nicky Kellett equalised. At the other end of the table Doncaster’s 1-0 win over Newcastle University moved them out of the bottom two, replaced by Didsbury Northern who lost 2-0 at Bowdon 2s. Naomi Harkness scored twice as Whitley Bay & Tynemouth beat Alderley Edge 2-1, Durham University 2s beating Harrogate by the same score line. 

Loughborough Students 2s were crowned Conference Midlands champions after a 2-1 win over St Albans. They trailed to a 49th minute Cailin Waddell goal until the last five minutes when goals for Amy Cradden and Sophie Kidd secured the three points and the title, in their first season back in the league. At the other end of the table a 3-1 loss at Cambridge University means Bedford are relegated. Oxford Hawks currently occupy the other relegation spot after a 2-1 home defeat by Stourport. They are two points behind Beeston 2s. A 70th minute corner from Poppy Roddis earned them a vital point in a 2-2 draw with Cambridge City. Birmingham University 2s beat Cannock 3-1. 

It's still all to play for at the top of Conference East with Hampstead & Westminster 2s and Teddington locked on 39 points, Hampstead having a narrow +2 goal difference advantage, Hampstead beat Old Loughtonians 4-1 and Teddington defeated Old Georgians 3-0. OGs are one of five teams who still could be relegated. Sevenoaks who drew 1-1 with Canterbury, move off the bottom, where East London, who lost 2-1 to Wapping, now sit. Nicole Bowler scored twice for Wapping including a 67th minute winner to see them jump from eighth to sixth. Spencer beat London Wayfarers 3-2. 

The eight Area League winners will be promoted to the league and to date the following champions are confirmed

East – Harleston Magpies 2s

Midlands – Nottingham Trent University

For a summary of the top of each of the Area Premier Divisions, see link at the bottom of the article

DIVISION ONE NORTH TOP SCORERS

Alice Conquest (Olton & West Warwicks) 15

Lauren Burrell (Beeston) 15

Sophia Crawshay (Buckingham) 15

Lizzy Pocknell (Durham University) 15

Isabelle Smith (Beeston) 11

Sally Walton (Gloucester City) 11

Evelyn Wilson (Durham University) 11

DIVISION ONE NORTH CLEAN SHEETS

Gabrielle Barraco (Beeston) 10

Madeline Boyes (Durham University) 8

Amelia Jones (Buckingham) 5

DIVISION ONE SOUTH TOP SCORERS

Alice Huddlestone (Barnes) 10

Emily Barrett (Sevenoaks) 9

Aleesa Ferguson (Barnes) 9

Katie McCallum (Southgate) 9

Maria Andrews (Bristol Firebrands) 8

DIVISION ONE SOUTH CLEAN SHEETS

Sophia Colman (Harleston Magpies) 6

Rose Thomas (Guildford) 6

Katie Martin-Fagg (Barnes) 6

Meg James (Sevenoaks) 4

CONFERENCE EAST TOP SCORERS

Olivia Lee-Smith (London Wayfarers) 12

Mel Ball (Teddington) 10

Bente Eggink (Hampstead & Westminster 2) 10

Hannah Griggs (Spencer) 9

Katherine Round (East London) 9

CONFERENCE EAST CLEAN SHEETS

Cecily Wood (Teddington) 7

Frederique Briscoe (Hampstead & Westminster 2) 5

Jenna Broughton-Lloyd (Wapping) 5

CONFERENCE MIDLANDS TOP SCORERS

Emily McStea (Cambridge City) 18

Jodie Beddow (Cannock) 13

Amy Cradden (Loughborough Students 2) 9

Lottie Gill (Cambridge University) 9

CONFERENCE MIDLANDS CLEAN SHEETS

Millie Owton (Loughborough Students 2) 6

Serena Cole (Cambridge University) 3

Frances Taylor (Stourport) 3

Kate Brine (Oxford Hawks) 3

Heather Elder (Cambridge City) 3

CONFERENCE NORTH TOP SCORERS

Anna Rutherford (Leeds) 15

Nicola Kellett (Fylde) 10

Jeorgia Carr (Bowdon 2) 9

Jess Ferguson (Leeds) 9

Alice Lamb (Durham University 2) 9

Georgia Lawes (Newcastle University) 9

Jessica Wharton (Fylde) 9

Megan Wildish (Fylde) 9

CONFERENCE NORTH CLEAN SHEETS

Ffion Horrell (Durham University 2) 4

Katie Barker (Fylde) 4

Grace Hardy (Bowdon 2) 4

Amy Keirl (Whitley Bay & Tynemouth) 4

CONFERENCE WEST TOP SCORERS

Emma Fluff Howitt (Lansdown) 16

Amy Sheehan (Trojans) 16

Claire Jones (Clifton Robinsons 2) 13

Eliza Chippendale (Reading 2) 10

Emily Hobbs (Cheltenham) 10

CONFERENCE WEST CLEAN SHEETS

Mia James (Reading 2) 5

Grace Diamond (Swansea) 4

Nicole Marks (Clifton Robinsons 2) 4

Victoria Waring (Lansdown) 4