Club Hockey

ENGLAND, March 17 - A hat-trick from Sarah Page helped Surbiton maintain their battle for a place in the end of season play-offs with a 6-1 win at Slough in the Investec Women’s Hockey League on Saturday.

It didn’t take Page long to make her mark as she slotted home inside the first six minutes of play before adding a second two minutes later.

ENGLAND, March 17 - Trailing 4-1 at half time, Loughborough Students battled back in style to salvage a point from a 6-6 draw with Reading in the Men’s Hockey League Premier Division on Saturday.

Reading dropped to fourth in the table on the back of the result, and their place in the end of season play-offs will only be decided with their last match of the normal season.

The visitors had powered to a 4-1 advantage at half time after goals from Darren Cheesman, Simon Mantell, Tom Carson and Chris Cargo.

But Loughborough came back at them in the second half, hitting five goals in 17 minutes. Still, it looked as though Reading had done enough after Harry Shearer tucked the ball away to make it 6-5 after 64 minutes.

ENGLAND, March 16 - With a vital England Men's Hockey League Premier Division clash on Saturday and a Men’s Cup semi final match on Sunday, this weekend looks set to prove crucial for Cannock men.

Currently fifth in the table and only outside the play-off places on goal difference, Cannock face another play-off contender, East Grinstead, in a league match on Saturday.

And having lost out to Hampstead and Westminster in the league last weekend, Cannock get their chance of revenge on Sunday when they travel south to play them again in the Men’s Cup semi final.

“Despite last weekend’s disappointing defeat, we still have fate in our own hands,” said Cannock captain Ross Hayward. “If we win both our remaining league games we should finish in the top four.

“But it’s not just about the league for us; we want to be a team that wins trophies. We aren’t prioritising either of the games this weekend. We will be trying to win both of them and give ourselves a good boost ahead of our final game against Canterbury in two weeks’ time.”

ENGLAND, March 16 - Currently fourth in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division, Surbiton will be aiming to preserve that spot and make it to the end of season play-offs – starting with a match at bottom of the league Slough this Saturday.

Surbiton took just one point from two matches last weekend, drawing with Clifton on Saturday and then losing out to Leicester on Sunday. But with other results going in their favour they remain in the top four and on track to challenge for the Championship.

With their final scheduled match being against top of the table Canterbury in two weeks’ time, Surbiton’s clash against Slough this weekend is a must-win game.

ENGLAND, March 10- Beeston are 14 points ahead of Surbiton at the top of the England Men’s Hockey League Premier Division thanks to a stunning 6-0 win over struggling Southgate.

Simon Egerton put the visitors ahead after 11 minutes and Southgate just couldn’t respond, leaking five more goals.

Southgate are now second from bottom and need to put a run together to pull themselves out of danger.

ENGLAND, March 10 -Reading took a big step towards securing their play-off place with a 2-1 victory over fifth-placed Bowdon Hightown in the Investec Women’s Premier Division on Saturday.

Reading got off to a perfect start as Kate Walsh powered home from a short corner. But Bowdon Hightown hit back before the break through Sally Walton, setting up a tense second half.

It was GB Olympic ace Alex Danson who scored the all-important winner just two minutes after the restart. It boosted Reading’s play-off hopes, but left Bowdon’s chances clinging by a thread.

ENGLAND, March 7 - Bowdon Hightown take on high-flying Reading on Saturday as the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division continues to build towards the play-offs.

Reading’s narrow win over Leicester last weekend saw them move up to second spot in the table, while Bowdon Hightown lie fifth, narrowly outside a top four finish which will see them reach the end of season play-offs and a shot at the title.

But Bowdon Hightown are under no illusions about the size of the challenge ahead of them.

ENGLAND, March 7 - After a mid-season run of bad results, Canterbury are hoping to maintain their push for a spot in the play-offs when they play host to East Grinstead in the England Men’s Hockey League on Sunday. 

Canterbury lost just one of their first seven matches and were second in the early table. But after beating East Grinstead 4-2 in November, their form took a beating as they were victorious in just one of their next seven league matches.

But despite that run they remain third in the table, and a 3-0 win over Hampstead has given them renewed impetus.