Ladies' Results

The Ladies 1s climbed to the top of the table after a superb 5-1 win over Wallingford 1s. Having faced Wallingford several times before and knowing the battle they can bring, the 1s went into the game with a clear plan to deal with whatever the visitors threw at them. C. Sharpe got the scoring underway and gave the side the early boost they needed, before G. Francis converted a short corner to send the 1s into half-time 2-1 ahead. The message at the break was to keep the intensity up and stick to the basics, and the 1s did just that. They kept the pressure on and added three more goals through B. Lamborn, M. Ainsworth and K. Moore. The 5-1 win makes it four victories in a row for the 1s, who have gone from chasing the leaders to sitting at the top themselves, with a healthy goal difference as well.

The Ladies 2s stayed top of the table with a 4-1 win over Staines 2s. The 4pm slot can always be a tough one, but they got the job done. C. Harris continued her goalscoring form with another brace, maintaining her position as the division's top scorer, while J. Faller and S. Chettle also found the net. The side kept plugging away at the basics and eventually found their third and fourth goals to put the result beyond doubt. It was a proper team effort, with junior players getting valuable minutes and others returning after a few weeks away. The win extends the 2s' winning run to five league games and keeps them at the summit with a strong goal difference.

The Ladies 3s made it three wins on the bounce with a 3-0 victory away at Aylesbury 3s, keeping their place at the top of the table. The 3s started brightly and had the lead inside five minutes, pressing hard and giving Aylesbury very little opportunity to play through them. Good passing and movement helped the visitors make the most of their opportunities, with G. Reaney scoring twice and J. Livingstone adding a third before half-time. Aylesbury came back stronger after the break and tried to find a way through, but the 3s stood firm and blocked their attempts to get on the scoreboard. G. Reaney was named Player of the Match in only her second appearance for the 3s, and two goals made it a particularly good afternoon for her. Across their last three games, the 3s have now scored 16 goals and conceded just one. Not a bad way to stay top.

The Ladies 4s picked up their first win of the season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Milton Keynes 3s, climbing from the bottom of the table to 10th. The 4s controlled possession for long periods, putting together some excellent passing combinations and making plenty of attacking runs. P. Thomas scored a brilliant first-half goal, and from there the team had to work hard to protect their lead. A few MK breakaways tested the defence, but the 4s dealt with them well and kept the visitors out. The hosts also had plenty of short-corner opportunities, with a few narrowly missing the target, but they did enough elsewhere to see the game through. There were moments when the opposition's vocal approach tested morale, but the 4s stuck together and supported each other right to the final whistle. After a tough start to the season, getting that first win on the board was a well-earned reward.

The Ladies 5s were awarded a walkover in their scheduled home fixture.

Men's Results

The Men's 1s shared the points with Eastcote 2s in an entertaining 2-2 draw against the third-placed side. The 1s were clinical in front of goal in the first half and went into the break 2-1 ahead, arguably against the run of play. B. Caiger and D. Garghan got the goals, giving the hosts something to protect after the interval. Eastcote changed things up and eventually levelled with a well-taken reverse-stick strike, before piling on the pressure right through to the final whistle. L. Hall earned Man of the Match for some excellent defensive work, while there was a special milestone for D. Garghan, who reached 100 goals for the Men's 1s. A commendable achievement.

The Men's 2s continued their excellent run in front of goal with a 4-2 away win over Banbury 4s, keeping third place in the table. After going 1-0 down, the 2s settled into the game, improved their ball speed and began to put Banbury under sustained pressure. It wasn't quite as smooth as some of their recent performances, but the side grew into the contest and made their chances count. A. Bennett led the scoring with two goals, while T. Creswell (scoring for the second consecutive week, a run of form few would have predicted) and M. Dales also found the net. The result takes the 2s' tally to 20 goals across their last four games, continuing a spell in which they've been finding the net with real regularity. A useful win against a good Banbury side and another three points for the 2s.

The Men's 3s suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against league leaders Tring 1s, but produced one of their best performances of the season. Tring came into the game having scored 32 goals in their first six matches, so the 3s knew they would have to be organised and disciplined to keep them quiet. They did exactly that for long periods, with defensive organisation, communication and work rate all excellent. There were spells when the 3s moved the ball quickly and precisely enough to take control of the game, although they struggled to create clear-cut chances in the final third. The only goal came from a miscommunication over penalty-corner roles following a couple of substitutions, which made the narrow defeat all the more frustrating. Despite the result, the 3s can take plenty of encouragement from the performance and the way they competed against one of the division's strongest sides. They now sit sixth.

The Men's 4s played out a 3-3 draw away at Aylesbury 4s in what the team described as their best hockey of the season so far. It was an end-to-end game, with plenty of chances at both ends and the 4s feeling they had the better of the opportunities, even if the Aylesbury goalkeeper had other ideas. J. Tyrrell scored twice and J. Faller added a third as the visitors took the game to their hosts. The midfield worked hard to drive the team forward, while the attacking players kept Aylesbury's defence busy throughout. A special mention also goes to the W. Lambert, who made his first appearance in adult hockey and put in an excellent performance. It was an encouraging result and a point earned on the road, with the 4s remaining 10th in the table.