Week Eight review of the England Hockey League

It was a top of the table clash in Mens Division One North with Brooklands MU travelling to Loughborough Students. The teams were level and unbeaten going into the game which was decided by a solitary goal from Loughborough’s Ellis Robson on 50 minutes. Behind the top two Nottingham University’s good run continued as they won 5-2 against Deeside Ramblers with Tim Ehret scoring two of their goals. A late Kristofer Watt corner decided the University clash between Durham and Birmingham in Durham’s favour, 3-2. The bottom two teams both lost out at home in high scoring games. Lindum went down 5-3 to Olton & West Warwicks and in a Midlands derby that stretches back to the formation of leagues, Harborne won 6-4 at Stourport. Tom Thorne netted a hat-trick for Harborne and Stourport’s Si Claris scored all four of his team’s goals.

The top two also met in Division One South and Reading came away from Indian Gymkhana with the win to extend their lead to four points. A Rizwan Ali stroke gave Gymkhana a first half lead but this was cancelled out early in the second half by Harrison Smith and then two Charlie Ellison goals sealed a 3-1 win. Teddington remain third after their 4-2 win at Team Bath Buccaneers with Kyle White scoring two of their goals. Havant are level on 12 points with Teddington and they enjoyed a 4-1 win over Bristol University who slip to ninth. Exeter University moved out of the bottom two thanks to a 4-2 win at Sevenoaks and Canterbury, who are in last place, are now six points from safety after a 1-0 home defeat by Old Loughtonians.

It was a good weekend for Conference North leaders Timperley. They racked up a 9-1 win over Oxton on Saturday evening with Tobias Sadri and Cameron Lewis both scoring twice and saw nearest rivals Doncaster lose 2-1 at Ben Rhydding on Sunday. Doncaster drop to third and Leeds, who beat Durham University 2s 2-0 courtesy of two Cam Foster corners, are now second five points behind Timperley. In the meeting of the bottom two Didsbury Northern put daylight between themselves and Wakefield with a 1-0 win and it was a similar scoreline at Brooklands MU 2s who beat Sheffield.

Only a single game in Conference East was decided by more than one goal. Leaders London Wayfarers were held 2-2 by Bromley & Beckenham with Sam Paterson’s second with three minutes left earning a point. Second place Spencer, who beat Tunbridge Wells 3-2, now trail Wayfarers on goal difference. Surbiton 2s are three points further back and took the honours in their local derby against Old Cranleighan with a 2-1 win. Two Sam Sharpe goals gave Wimbledon 2s a 2-1 win at Brighton & Hove who are one place above bottom of the table West Herts, Herts losing 5-0 at home to Hampstead & Westminster 2s.

There are new leaders in Conference Midlands with Repton taking over from Chelmsford on goal difference. Matt Davey scored twice, including the 68th minute winner, for third placed St Albans in their 2-1 defeat of Chelmsford. Repton beat Cambridge City 4-2 to move to the top, helped by an Adam Dixon hat-trick of corners within the space of four minutes early in the second half. Barford Tigers overwhelmed Banbury 9-3 with Avraj Bansal scoring three of their goals. Banbury drop into the bottom two as Harleston Magpies moved above them after a 3-1 win over Birmingham University 2s, all of their goals coming from Myles King corners. Nottingham University 2s and Norwich City drew 1-1.

It was a good weekend for Guildford who are now three points clear at the top of Conference West and along with Old Georgians boast the only 100% records in the league. They won 6-0 at Fareham with Ed Tristem and Sammy Dowds both scoring twice and along the South Coast their nearest rivals, Clifton Robinsons, saw their perfect start to the season ended at Chichester who won 3-1. Two goals from Rafe Lochore helped Oxford Hawks to a 3-2 win over bottom the table Team Bath Buccaneers 2s. Goals were in short supply in Devon where Ashmoor beat Reading 2s 1-0 and Isca and Exeter University 2s drew 0-0.

It was a good week for Barnes who extended their lead in Women's Division One South back to four points. They had a 2-1 home win against Wimbledon 2s, Charlotte Stafford getting the winner after the visitor’s Charlotte Lee had cancelled out Naomi Kelly’s equaliser. Second placed Exeter University, who beat Barnes last week, were held 2-2 at Sevenoaks. Surbiton 2s are level with Exeter on 14 points after a 3-2 win at Southgate, Amie Hunt scoring twice. Charlotte Barr struck late on for Guildford to win by a solitary goal at bottom of the table Bristol Firebrands. Harleston Magpies beat Slough 2-0.

First played second in Division One North and leaders Durham University maintained their 100% start to the season with a 4-1 win at Buckingham. Eve Phillips gave Buckingham the lead but Durham responded with goals from Emmie Gilbert, Helena Youmans, Lizzy Pocknell and Ava Wadsworth. Durham’s lead over Buckingham is now six points and Olton & West Warwicks are level on points in third after coming from two down to win 3-2 at Leicester City, with Alice Conquest scoring twice. Freya Bethell also netted two in Pendle Forest’s 3-1 defeat of Repton. After a slow start Beeston have won four on the trot including a 6-0 win at bottom of the table Wakefield on Saturday. Ben Rhydding and Gloucester City drew 1-1.

Reading 2s go five points clear at the top of Conference West after a 4-1 win at Trojans, who were their closest rivals going into Saturday’s games. Eliza Chippendale scored twice for Reading. Claire Jones also scored two for second placed Clifton Robinsons 2s who beat Swansea 3-0. Cheltenham won 4-2 at Team Bath Buccaneers and Lansdown beat bottom of the table Witney 3-0. Witney now find themselves 3 points behind Exeter who picked up their first win of the season, 1-0 against Marlow.

Only five points separate teams from 1st to 8th in Conference North with no team pulling away from the pack. Leaders Leeds lost for the first time this season, 3-1 at Fylde, Megan Wildish scoring twice for the home team who move up to second a point behind the leaders. Michelle Mortimer-Collier scored the only goal in Didsbury Northern’s 1-0 defeat of Bowdon 2s to join them a point further back. Alderley Edge beat Whitley Bay & Tynemouth 2-1 and Durham University 2s won by the same scoreline at bottom of the table Harrogate. 9th placed Doncaster picked up a point in a 2-2 draw at Newcastle University.

Amy Cradden and Elloise Jorritsma were on target for Conference Midlands leaders Loughborough Students 2 who remain unbeaten after a 2-0 win at St Albans. They lead Stourport by three points with the Worcestershire side recording a comfortable 4-0 defeat of Oxford Hawks. Third place Cambridge University won 2-0 at Bedford, Jodie Beddow scored both Cannock’s goals in a 2-2 draw with Birmingham University 2s and Emily McStea did likewise for Cambridge City who overcame Beeston 2s 2-1.

Teddington stay top of Conference East but lost their 100% record in a 2-2 draw at Old Georgians, Mel Ball’s late equaliser secured a point for Teddington. Their nearest rivals, London Wayfarers, also drew, with Olivia Lee-Smith netting another late leveller in their 1-1 draw with Spencer. Wayfarers and Hampstead & Westminster 2s, who won 1-0 at Old Loughtonians, are three points behind the leaders. At the other end of the table Wapping defeated 10th placed East London 1-0 and Sevenoaks 2s 2-0 win against Canterbury meant they went above their Kent rivals into 8th place.