In a sense it was the battle of the sexes at Reading this afternoon, and the women came out top. Reading were playing a double header and, unusually, their opponents were both from the same club.
It was an experience that Cannock women would probably prefer to forget. They have already been propping up the table for several weeks without a point to their name. Playing the leaders was always likely to a challenge, but it turned into a disaster. Alex Danson started the ball rolling for Reading with a goal in the first two minutes, but it gave little clue of what was to follow. 15 minutes later Rebecca Halle knocked in a second, and after that the goals just kept coming. Danson's opener was just the first of a hat-trick, with a second from Halle and goals from Liana Smith (2), Helen Richardson, Sam Quek and Jessica Brooker. Final score 10-0 and Reading now lead the Investec Women's Premier League by eight points, whilst Cannock remain rooted at the bottom.
A single goal by Cannock's men was enough to give them the win at Reading and Cannock are now separated on goal difference from leaders East Grinstead. EG used the opportunity of playing bottom-of-the-table Bowdon to consolidate their position with a 6-1 win this afternoon. The match followed the official announcement of their sponsorship deal with the airline Emirates, which must have convinced their sponsors that they'd backed a winning horse.
Hampstead and Westminster demonstrated again that they don't take too many prisoners, with a useful 4-1 win at University Exeter. The Exeter are currently occupying the relegation play-off spot, just behind Southgate who lost 3-0 at home to Beeston. Surbiton have produced some hard to predict results this season but the smart money would have been on them winning against Loughborough Students, which they did, 3-0.
Reading's defeat means they slip down the table to sixth, and Hampstead and Surbiton move up to fourth and fifth respectively.
The North Conference table seemed to be set in stone until this afternoon, when Doncaster's 4-2 win against Preston moved them up from sixth to fourth. The leaders, Sheffield Hallam and Brooklands MU, both had big wins. Hallam's Phil Roper scored five of his side's goals in their 8-1 win against Barford Tigers, and David Seddon accounted for three in his side's 7-0 win over Belper.
In the West, Guildford crept up into fourth place after a 3-1 win at home to Havant, which saw Ian Jennings on the score sheet. Havant drop one place to be replaced in second by Bath Buccaneers, who bit Fareham away 3-2.
Canterbury maintain their lead in the East Conference with a 7-0 win at Bromley & Beckenham, but there was a reshuffling of the leaders when Indian Gymkhana lost 4-2 to Old Loughtonians. Wimbledon took advantage by beating Harleston Magpies 3-2 and move into second place. Old Loughts and Holcombe move up to third and fourth respectively.
FULL RESULTS AND TABLE FROM TODAY'S MATCHES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR MAIN WEB SITE. FOLLOW THE LINK ON OUR HOME PAGE.
