BIMSON CALLS IT A DAY

Jennie Bimson has decided to call a halt to international hockey after a career spanning over 10 years. The Leicester midfielder tore a calf muscle during the 2-1 defeat of New Zealand during the Olympic Games in Beijing resulting in her premature departure from the squad. She only had to make two more appearances before earning her 200th international cap. Speaking of Bimson, GB women’s head coach, Danny Kerry, said, “Jennie has been a tireless servant of the international programme for over a decade. She has consistently brought an energy to the group and to the pitch, which will be sorely missed.”

31 year-old Bimson will continue play for her club.

GUILDFORD 'BURGLE' RESULT FROM BATH

Danny Hall continued his free scoring ways of last season with a second minute goal to open East Grinstead’s 2008-2009 league campaign. Goals from new acquisition, German under-21 Martin Haner, Darren Cheeseman and David Cresswell gave them a 4-2 win over Beeston in the Slazenger EHL Men’s Premier Division. New boys Southgate travelled to Manchester only to be the worse off in a 3-0 encounter with Bowdon. Bowdon’s scorers were Ian Wilson, Ian Hardingham, and Stephen Brogdon. Champions, Reading, saw their GB internationals in the thick of it when they were visited by Hampstead & Westminster. Jonty Clarke opened the scoring just before the break, and Richard Mantell was on the penalty striking form in the closing seconds. Other scorers were Andy Watts and Austin Smith in their 4-1 win.

Cannock’s impressive 7-1 win over Havant yesterday propels them to the top of the table on goal difference. Surbiton and Loughborough Students also met yesterday, with the match ending in a 3-3 draw.

What may have been the goal of the day did not stop Team Bath Buccaneers losing to a resurgent Guildford in the Men’s West Conference. Nick Deayton’s mid-air parry put the visitors on even terms after Guildford’s Tim Norman scored from a penalty corner in the 14th minute. Despite peppering the Guildford goal repeatedly, with a combination of the upright and Simon Mason – recently transferred from Reading – somehow saving Guildford from going behind, it was a penalty stroke conversion by Duncan Marsh and a final flourish goal from Josh Tester, that gave Guildford a well deserved 3-1 win. As Simon Mason commented after the match, they hard burgled the result, but had shown some steely determination in the process. Our photograph shows action from the match. Further photographs from the match are available to view on our web site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk.

In the East Conference, Bromley & Beckenham go top on goal difference after a 4-1 win over Chelmsford. In the North, Sam McCambridge’s hat-trick in their 6-1 win over Telford & Wrekin, helped put the Derbyshire side at the top of their table.

Our unique all-on-one page league tables will be available to download from our web-site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk later tomorrow (Monday).

TROJANS RUE PENALTY STROKE MISSES - Today's Hockey

The 2008-2009 Slazenger England Hockey League started with a bang this afternoon, with a full programme of women’s games and a selection of matches in the men’s divisions.

All eyes were naturally on the newly promoted teams to see how they would fare, and the opening day threw up an interesting tussle in the Women’s Premier Division between the Champions, Slough, and newly promoted Trojans. The match was made more intriguing by the loss of some key Slough players who have moved abroad for their hockey. Trojans took first blood just before the break when Fiona Holdcroft managed to escape the attentions of Sarah Ellis in the Slough goal (see our picture) and coolly slip the ball into the net. But Slough were quickly back on even terms shortly after the restart, with a defensive mixup leaving ‘keeper Becky Duggan going the wrong way whilst Lauren Penny found the net. Natalie Bell put Slough ahead three minutes later with a goal in open play. But this was a match which Trojans should have won. They will surely rue the second half penalty stroke that went wide and a second stroke that failed to even reach the goal line. Final score 2-1 to Slough.

Among the women’s teams in the Premier Division tipped this season are Canterbury and Leicester, who played out a goalless draw at Polo Farm, and Bowdon who won 3-1 when they visited Poynton. No surprise that Tina Cullen’s name was on the score sheet there. Clifton’s improving form of last season continued with a useful 3-2 win over Ipswich. Ipswich’s neighbours, Chelmsford, who barely escaped relegation last season, had a torrid time when they entertained Olton and West Warwicks, going down 8-0, with Denise Marston-Smith scoring a hat-trick.

In the conferences, Southgate’s women in the East conference got off to a good start with a 2-0 win over Old Loughtonians, and Reading managed seven passed Sevenoaks for no reply. In the North, Beeston’s women start the season at the top with a 5-1 win over Whitley Bay & Tynemouth, while in the East, University of Birmingham inflicted a 9-0 defeat on Exe – Liz George scoring a hat-tick there – and Firebrands saw off Rover Oxford 7-1.

There are some late starts in the Men's Premiership, the results of which will appear here tomorrow.

Photographs from the Slough versus Trojan match will appear on our main web site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk soon.

MIXED DAY FOR FORMER EHL CLUBS IN FIRST ROUND OF CUP

You could say that the national hockey programme for 2008-2009 started in earnest today. The Slazenger EHL kicks off next weekend but this afternoon saw the first round proper of the men’s EH Cup. Although the EHL sides do not get a look in until Round 2, there are some clubs with a pretty decent pedigree and recent EHL experience in Round 1.

Among the former EHL clubs in action today were Lewes, who went out of the top flight in 2005 having had a nightmare season during which they managed to record only one win in 22 outings. Since then they have slipped down to Division Two of the South Premier Division but one always feels that if there is one club that deserves to bounce back, it is Lewes. Not only do they have fine facilities at the Southdown Club, but the backdrop of Lewes Priory makes it one of the most attractive grounds in the country to play hockey. Their opponents this afternoon were Ramgaria Hockey Club from Southall, who usually play their hockey in the Middlesex Berks Bucks and Oxon Regional League. A slight mismatch perhaps, but cups are all about upsets. Lewes are a young and comparatively inexperienced side but it did not take long for their fitness to show. 2-0 up early in the match, they relaxed slightly early in the second half and gave their opponents a sniff at a draw but conceding two goals seem to act as a wake up call and Lewes came back into the match strongly, winning 7-2.

Elsewhere it was mixed results for former EHL sides, Robinbson’s taking a 9-3 hammering at Cheltenham, and Plymouth Marjon overcoming Gloucester City 4-3. Teddington share the honours with Taunton Vale for the biggest win of the day, beating Amersham and Chalfont 11-1. Taunton Vale put ten passed North Wilts for no reply.

So the following go through to Round Two: Alderley Edge, Chichester, Ashford (Middlesex), Bishops Stortford, Bedford Town (walkover), Brighton & Hove (walkover), Cheltenham, Dereham, Preston, Banbury, Edgbaston, Fareham, Havering, High Wycombe, Lewes, West Herts (walkover), Maidstone (walkover), Harborne, Blueharts, Olton & West Warwicks, Deeside Ramblers, Playmouth Marjon, South Nottingham, Spencer, Taunton Vale, Teddington, Timperley, Urmston (walkover), University of Cambridge, Devizes and Wisbeach. The match between Middeton & Bognor was postponed due to an unplayable pitch.

Our photograph shows action from the match between Lewes and Ramgaria. More photographs appear on our site at www.talkhockeyradio .co.uk

CANNOCK GET PLUM RESULT by Pat Rowley

European League quarter finalists Cannock, started the season under new coach Paul Edwards, with a 3-2 win over newly qualified National League side Sevenoaks. They joined many of England’s top clubs at the annual pre-season PLUM tournament organised by the East Umpires at Chelmsford and Chigwell this week-end.

Cannock had to work harder to avoid defeat in their second game at Chigwell yesterday before gaining a 2-2 draw with Southgate. The ‘Gate, preparing for their return to the Premier Division, led twice through Andrew Westbrook and Dan Shingles (stroke). Stuart Pilgrim and Liam Plunkett replied for Cannock.

At Chelmsford, Beeston lost 2-0 to Bowdon, the side they beat in the cup final. Bowdon scored twice in a minute early in the first half with well-taken goals by Alex Edmonstone and David Egerton.

Wales beat Ireland 3-2 in a men’s international at Cardiff. Huw Thomas put them ahead right on half-time but they fell behind to two Jason Lynch goals before Ollie Cooper scored twice for Wales in the last 20 minutes.

EUROHOCKEY LEAGUE ROUND ONE DRAW ANNOUNCED

The first round of the EuroHockey League was announced today. The first round matches consist of eight pools of three, with one club being eliminated from each pool to decide who goes through to round two. The matches will be played at two venues, the first of which will be Amsterdam. The second venue is still to be arranged.

English club, Cannock, have been drawn in Pool D and will play the strong Dutch side, Bloemendaal, and the Russian Champions, Dinamo Kazan. They will play in Amsterdam over the weekend of 24-26 October. The remaining British clubs will play the following weekend. Reading find themselves in Pool E with HC Rotterdam and Scottish outfit, Western Wildcats. Pool F also contains two British clubs, with East Grinstead and Azzurri Kelbourne sharing the pool with Belgian side Waterloo Ducks.

The draw in full:

Pool A: Club an de Alster (Germany), Club Egara (Spain), Pocztowiec Poznan (Poland).
Pool B: St Germain (France), Dusseldorfer (Germany), HC Bra (Italy).
Pool C: Grunwald Poznan, Amsterdam (Netherlands), Olimpia Kolos Sekvoia (Ukraine).
Pool D: Bloemendaal (Netherlands), Cannock (England), Dinamo Kazan (Russia).

Pools A-D to be played in Amsterdam during 24-26 October 2008.

Pool E: Reading (England), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Western Wildcats (Scotland).
Pool F: Azzurri Kelbourne (Scotland), East Grinstead (England), Waterloo Ducks (Belgium).
Pool G: RC de Polo de Barcelona (Spain, Hamburg (Germany), Lille (France).
Pool H: Leuven (Belgium), Atletic Terrassa (Spain), Three Rock Rovers (Ireland).

Pools E-f to be played at a venue to be arranged during 31 October - 2 November 2008.

MUNDAY TO GET TOP HOCKEY JOB

Sally Munday has been appointed as the new chief executive of England Hockey and will take over her new role in January. Munday is currently England Hockey’s Development Director. Her appointment forms part of a reorganisation at the top of the national governing body, which sees Executive Chairman Philip Kimberley move over to become Non-Executive Chairman.