Loughborough Students have secured a place in the second round of the EuroHockey League with a convincing win against Scots side Azzurri Kelbourne in Antwerp this afternoon. The students went in front with goals by Michael and Jonathan Cristie and then resolutely defended their lead in the second half. Kelbourne pulled one back with a penalty corner by Niall Stott which was deflected into the net off the stick of defender Jon Bleby. With ten minutes of the match left, Chris Nelson gave the students their third to leave the final score at 3-1.
Last weekend’s first round matches had ended in draws aplenty, so a 9-2 win stands out as a bit of an oddity in this competition. That was how the match between Barcleona and Dinoma Electrostal ended. The other Spanish team playing today also enjoyed a goalfest, putting seven passed Pocztowiec Poznan for no reply. The only German side left in the competition, Uhlenhorster drew against the much fancied Dutch from Bloemendaal 3-3.
On home soil Reading have built up a remarkable eight point lead in the Slazenger EHL Premier Division after overcoming Havant 4-3 this afternoon. Reading’s scorers were Andy Watts, Austin Smith, Richard Springham, and Warren D’Souza. Beeston met East Grinstead away and ran out 6-4 winners. Beeston and East Grinstead now occupy respectively the second and third place slots. Canterbury earned their first points of the season by beating Bowdon 2-0 and the two teams are both at the bottom of the table with Canterbury having the advantage on goal difference.
Men’s Premiership results in full:
Canterbury 2 – 0 Bowdon
East Grinstead 4 – 6 Beeston
Hampstead and Westminster 2 – 3 Surbiton
Reading 4 – 3 Havant.
In Men’s Division One, Southgate moved ahead of Old Georgians at the top of the table after the old boys could only draw when they hosted Brooklands. Southgate had a convincing 6-0 win at Belper.
TalkHockeyRadio should have been in Antwerp but the next best thing was a double header at Sevenoaks where the men met Holcombe in the National South Division. Sevenoaks are reckoned to be slow starters but two penalty corner conversions in the first five minutes put pay to that reputation. Close marking of David Matthews (Pictured No 10) and Danny Laslett effectively neutralised the Holcombe strike force, but the player who impressed was Pete Turner who scored his hat-trick with his third penalty corner conversion in the 60th minute. Sevenoaks 3-1 win put them in second place separated by goal difference from the leaders, University of Exeter. Holcombe slip into third place.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE MATCHES BETWEEN SEVENOAKS MEN AND HOLCOMBE AND SEVENOAKS WOMEN AND EXE WILL APPEAR ON OUR MAIN WEB SITE SOON. www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk
