Canterbury men celebrated their return from an unhappy weekend in Perth by winning only their second match of the season in the Men’s Slazenger EHL this afternoon. Huw Stevens was the scorer in their 1-0 win over Loughborough Students. At the other end of the table Reading suffered their first league defeat of 2007-2008 when they entertained Cannock. A goalless first half was followed by a half in which Stuart Pilgrim and Simon Ramsden converted penalty corners. Final score 2-0 to Cannock. East Grinstead’s Danny Hall scored a hat trick at home to Havant, with other goals coming from Dave De Prez, Ben Payne and Mark Pearn. Tim Davenport was in scoring mode with three for Havant but the final score there was 6-3 to East Grinstead. Hampstead picked up a point against visiting Beeston, David Eakins converting a first half penalty corner. James McBlane equalised for Beeston early in the second half. Final score, 1-1. The scores were even at Sugden Road until the 60th minute when Surbiton entertained Bowdon. A goal in open play from Simon Egerton gave the visitors a 3-2 win. Today’s results leave the Premier Division unchanged. In Division One the table remains largely unchanged, although Old Georgians displace Bath Buccaneers from fourth place after OGs came away from their visit to Sheffield University Bankers with the three points after a 5-2 win. Buccaneers met leaders Southgate and went down 4-2. In National South the leaders all managed a win, with Sevenoaks consolidating their pole position with a win over Cambridge University. Exeter saw off bottom place Teddington 5-1, whilst Holcombe scored two second half goals against Indian Gymkhana to give them at 2-0 victory at home. Scott Cordon’s return to Leek saw him score a late first half penalty corner in his side’s 3-1 win over Barford Tigers in National North. Leaders, Birmingham University, put four passed Formby for no reply, but second place Doncaster could only draw 2-2 at third place Stourport. The table remains unchanged after today’s matches, as does the Women’s National South Division. In Women’s National North, Whitley Bay move into second place after a 4-1 win over Rover Oxford, displacing Nottingham Highfields who drop to fourth after losing 2-0 to visiting Ben Rhydding. Liverpool Sefton lost 3-0 to Belper who move up to third.
EUROHOCKEY INDOOR WOMEN’S CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS IN PRAGUE.
Slough are playing in the relegation pool after having been pipped on goal difference for a semi final place. Yesterday they drew 2-2 against Dutch champions Kampong with Jane Smith (pictured [left] playing in the national finals at the NIA recently) scoring both Slough goals. They then went down to the Belarussians from Ritm Grodno 5-1, Jane Smith scoring the single Slough goal. In the last of their Pool B matches this morning they beat Dinamo Sumchanka from the Ukraine 5-3 with goals from Alex Scott (2), Jane Smith (2) and Natalie Bell. Ironically, the Ukrainians qualify for the semi-finals with a single goal separating their goal difference from Slough’s. Slough carry over one point into the final stages from their draw against Kampong and have this afternoon beaten Vilnius from Lithuania 5-3 with goals from Jane Smith (3), Natalie Bell and Victoria Goodacre. Slough play their final match against Slavia Praha tomorrow. Slough and Kampong are three clear points ahead of the two bottom placed teams, so Slough look reasonably safe from relegation.
GREAT BRITAIN WOMEN LOSE TEST SERIES
GB’s women, in Australia for a series of training and test matches, lost the fourth test at Toowoomba 4-2 yesterday. GB found themselves 3-0 behind but Helen Richardson managed to score just before the break. Kate Walsh managed to close the gap just after the restart but Australia scored ten minutes later to give them the win.
