England: Section Two Begins As The Race For Europe Hots Up

Because the winter break involves a detailed, the Vitality Ladies’s and Males’s Hockey League Premier division is again in full swing. This season, the Premier division has cut up into two mini-leagues, the “Prime Six” and the “Decrease Six”, with every group having its personal distinct targets and challenges.

Within the Prime Six, the automated European spot race started, with groups battling it out to safe their place within the prime tier of European membership hockey. The competitors is predicted to be intense, with among the finest groups within the nation combating for the coveted spot.

In the meantime, the groups are combating for survival within the Decrease Six and the remaining two playoff locations. With just some factors separating the groups, each match is essential, and the competitors is predicted to be simply as intense as within the prime Six.

Vitality Womens Hockey League

Within the match between Beeston and East Grinstead, East Grinstead travelled to the Nottingham Hockey centre and secured a 7-1 victory. Tess Howard had a hat-trick within the sport, scoring within the seventeenth minute, twenty first minute and thirty seventh minute via a penalty nook. Laura Unsworth additionally contributed with a purpose within the thirty ninth and 52nd minutes. Ellie Rayer and Amelia Tait rounded off the scoring for East Grinstead, whereas Sophie Robinson scored the one purpose of the sport for Beeston with a twenty fifth minute penalty nook.

Hampstead and Westminster left early for Coombe Dingle, the place they drew 2-2 with Clifton Robinsons. Livvy Hoskins opened the scoring for Clifton Robinsons within the ninth minute (PC) earlier than Sarah Robertson equalized for Hampstead & Westminster within the thirty third minute. Eloise Laity put the house facet forward once more within the 61st minute earlier than Anna O’Flanagan levelled the sport with a penalty nook purpose for Hampstead & Westminster within the 63rd minute.

Within the match between Surbiton and Wimbledon, Wimbledon travelled to Surbiton and have been defeated 2-1. Hannah Martin opened the scoring for Surbiton within the fifth minute, whereas Flora Peel equalized for Wimbledon within the forty sixth minute via a penalty nook. Surbiton main purpose scorer Sophie Hamilton hit the profitable purpose within the 52nd minute with the second penalty nook purpose of the sport.

Buckingham travelled to the College of Birmingham and suffered a 3-1 defeat. Lexie Clark opened the scoring for the College of Birmingham within the twenty ninth minute earlier than Caroline Spence equalized for Buckingham within the sixtieth. Izzy Lander (66) and Betsan Thomas (70) scored in fast succession for the College of Birmingham to place the sport out of attain of the guests.

The groups performed to a 2-2 draw within the match between Studying and Holcombe. Lizzie Neal scored twice for Studying within the fifteenth and forty third minutes, whereas Sofia Viarengo and Emma Bandurak scored for Holcombe within the twenty first and twenty sixth (PS). The match was intently contested, with each groups battling arduous for the win, however in the long run, either side settled for his or her second draw of the season.

Within the match between the College of Nottingham and Loughborough College students, Loughborough College students secured a 2-0 victory. Suzie Carter opened the scoring for Loughborough College students within the seventeenth minute, and Becca Malyon added a second purpose within the forty seventh minute. The College of Nottingham put up a robust struggle, however Loughborough College students have been the higher staff on the day and deserved their victory.

Males’s Hockey League

The Males’s Hockey League returned with a bang this week, as six high-stakes matches befell throughout the nation. The primary match noticed Wimbledon host Holcombe in a nail-biting encounter, whereas Outdated Georgians welcomed Surbiton to the lair. The third match was an thrilling house sport for Hampstead & Westminster, who hosted Studying, whereas Brooklands Manchester College travelled to Beeston. East Grinstead performed host to native rivals Oxted, and the ultimate match noticed the College of Exeter welcome the College of Nottingham.

The match between Wimbledon and Holcombe was an intense battle, with each groups placing on a robust efficiency. Nonetheless, Holcombe got here out on prime, securing a 3-2 victory. Holcombe’s Tom Russell and Nick Bandurak bought the scoring began early on, discovering the again of the web within the sixth and seventh minutes, respectively. Wimbledon tried to struggle again, with Liam Ansell scoring a penalty nook purpose within the fifteenth minute and David Condon leveling earlier than the break, but it surely was the Hockey Writers’ Membership Participant of the Yr, Nick Bandurak who added a second purpose within the forty first minute to safe the win for Holcombe.

Within the match between Outdated Georgians and Surbiton, Outdated Georgians proved to be the stronger staff, securing a 2-1 victory. Outdated Georgians’ James Alberry opened the scoring within the fifth minute, however Surbiton’s Ben Park equalized within the thirty first minute. The match was removed from over, although, as Outdated Georgians’ Lee Morton scored a vital penalty nook purpose within the forty seventh minute to safe the win.

Hampstead & Westminster placed on a dominant show of their match in opposition to Studying, securing a 5-0 victory. Hampstead & Westminster’s Stephen Kelly had a implausible sport, scoring two targets within the twentieth and forty seventh minutes. Joe Hillyer, Toby Vaughan (forty fifth minute, PC), and Jolyon Morgan additionally bought in on the motion, scoring within the twenty third, forty fifth (PC), and forty ninth minutes respectively.

The match between Brooklands Manchester College and Beeston was an exhilarating encounter, with Beeston popping out on prime with a 4-3 victory. Beeston’s George Fletcher and Henry Croft began the scoring, discovering the again of the web within the seventh and forty fourth minutes, respectively. Brooklands Manchester College tried to struggle again, with Ben Wallace (thirty third minute, PC), Richard Slater (thirty eighth and forty second minutes), and Jamie Golden (sixtieth minute, PC) all scoring, but it surely was not sufficient to safe the win.

East Grinstead and Oxted performed to a 2-2 draw of their match, with each groups placing on a strong efficiency. Oxted’s Jonny Lankfer and East Grinstead’s Fin Boothroyd began the scoring early, discovering the again of the web within the third and sixth minutes, respectively. East Grinstead took the lead, with Tom Crowson scoring a penalty nook purpose within the twenty third minute earlier than Jonny Lankfer added a penalty nook purpose for Oxted within the 63rd minute.

The day’s closing match noticed the College of Exeter safe a 3-2 victory over the College of Nottingham. The College of Exeter’s Ben Fox, Jake Phillips, and Lewis Wilcher all discovered the again of the web within the fortieth, forty seventh, and 69th minutes respectively, whereas the College of Nottingham’s Charlie Axford and Conor Williamson (67th minute, PC) tried to mount a comeback. Nonetheless, it was not sufficient to safe the win, and the College of Exeter got here out on prime.

These outcomes set the tone for what guarantees to be an thrilling and aggressive season within the Vitality Ladies’s Hockey League and Males’s Hockey League Premier divisions. With the highest groups combating for the European spot and the decrease groups battling for survival, the drama and pleasure will proceed to unfold within the coming weeks.