A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR VISITORS

The hockey scene tend to go quiet just before Christmas, but not for long. Hockey will soon be back in action. The January edition of our on-line magazine will be available from 28 December and our podcast two weeks later. Both are looking back over 2006 - an exciting year for hockey. But January is a busy month in itself. At home we have the domesrtic indoor league, the indoor finals at the NIA, and the Player of the Year awards. There is also the Women's Champions Trophy in Argentina. How have the top teams progressed since we last saw them in October? You will be able to find out more from our podcasts, on-line magazine, and our blog.

We will be blogging again in January, but if you've not already visited out main site - www.talkhockeyradio - why do pay us a visit? We are carrying out a major upgrade to the site soon to enhance your visiting experience.

HAVANT TAKE PREMIER SCALP. Weekend Cup and League Roundup

TalkHockeyRadio went out looking for a giant killing act in the Fifth Round of the England Hockey Cup and chose the match between Havant from Div.1 and Premier Division side Hampstead and Westminster. It looked as if we had made a poor choice when the Londoner’s scored in the 12^th minute, courtesy of Scott Webster. But with penalty corner danger man Callum Giles in their side, Havant were always going to be a problem at corners, and it was as half-time approached that Callum Giles gave Havant a well deserved equaliser. Shortly before the break, Tasmanian Richard Hedlam, gave Havant the lead with a well taken goal from open play. In the second half, Havant’s two Egyptian internationals, Ezz and Hamoza, combined well, and Hampstead were caught on the break by Ezz, who scored after a fine run down the left wing. Hampstead then started to claw their way back into the match and a penalty corner conversion by Josh Smith closed the gap to 3-2. Several times during the closing minutes it looked as the match would go to extra time but some fine goalkeeping enabled Havant to hang on to their lead and progress through to the next round. Photographs from this match will appear on our main site over the next few days.

Havant were not the only Div 1 side to take a Premier Division scalp. Div 1 leaders Bowden overcame Beeston 2-1. Elsewhere the underdogs had less luck. Canterbury overcame Chelmsford 6-3, Loughborough Students beat Exeter University 4-1, Old Loughtonians went down 1-4 to Cannock, and Surbiton won against Southgate 5-2. In a re-run of the 2006 final, East Grinstead met Reading, the game ending in draw. The final result was a reversal of the last cup meeting, EG winning 4-1 on penalty strokes after extra time. The biggest score of the day was between Div 1 Bournville and South Div Indian Gymkhana, which ended 14-1.

The EHL now takes a rest until 27 January. There were matches played in the Women’s Premier, and North and South divisions, and the men’s North and South divisions yesterday (Saturday). Wins by Canterbury, Leicester, and Slough have resulted in the top three pulling away from the rest of the pack. Leicester were victorious against fourth placed Bowden Hightown, despite being 2-0 early in the match. Final score 4-3. Ipswich’s 3-2 win over Chelmsford drops Chelmsford from 5^th to 7^th place and the draw between Old Loughtonians and Doncaster lifts the Yorkshire side off the bottom of the table.

A full set of league tables has been posted to our main web site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk.

Weekend EHL roundup for 3 December 2006

Beeston’s brief stay as Premier Division leaders came to an end this afternoon (Sunday) when they were beaten 1-2 by Reading. Reading now go top on 19 points, ahead on goal difference from Cannock, who won 3-2 at home to Surbiton. Also on 19 points is Loughborough Students, who overcame Hampstead and Westminster 2-1. East Grinstead stay in 5^th place despite a 5-2 win over struggling Belper. Also at the bottom end of the division, Canterbury recorded only their second win of the season by beating Guildford 3-1. Canterbury move up one place to 8^th.

Bowdon’s seemingly unstoppable charge for promotion suffered a slight hiccup when they drew against 7^th place Bournville, closing the gap between them and chasing Havant to three points. Havant visited Holcombe this afternoon and opened the scoring after only two minutes with a classic Callum Giles penalty corner conversion. Twenty-five minutes later, Egyptian international Mohamed Ezz left the sin bin to score Havant’s second goal, again from a corner. Ezz was on target shortly after the break with a well struck field goal. Holcombe fought to get back into the match, and when Chris Bassano-Harper pulled one back in the 44^th minute, it looked as if Holcombe might get back on level terms. However, their hopes were dashed when Andrew Pett scored six minutes later. Final score 4-1 to Havant. Elsewhere, Oxford Hawks won their first match of the season against fellow strugglers St Albans, but remain at the bottom of the South Division.

In the Women’s Premier Division, Slough slipped from the top slot yesterday after drawing 2-2 with Chelmsford. Their place is taken by Leicester, who beat Olton and West Warwickshire 2-0.

A full set of EHL tables appears on our main web-site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk