Club Hockey

LEICESTER, November 10 - Investec women’s hockey league champions Leicester closed the gap to leaders Canterbury to just one point after they beat University of Birmingham 4-1 in the Investec Premier Division on Saturday.

Canterbury had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Olton and West Warwickshire, giving Leicester the chance to consolidate second spot with goals from Katie Long (2), Anne Panter and Jo Hunter.

Mel Clewlow gave Canterbury the lead just before half time at Olton, but the hosts hit back with Kerry Thompson-Moore scoring on 49 minutes.

LEICESTER, November 9 - Champions Leicester have leaders Canterbury in their sights in the Investec women’s hockey league premier division – but they will have to get past University of Birmingham this Saturday first.

Three wins in a row – most recently a hard-fought 2-1 win over Sutton Coldfield – have seen Leicester maintain their place in the top three despite their October defeat to leaders Canterbury.

MANCHESTER, November 8 - With victories over Reading and East Grinstead already under their belts this season, it is the turn of Brooklands Manchester University to play host to runaway leaders Beeston in the England men’s hockey league premier division on Saturday.

Despite lying eighth in the table with just those two wins so far this term, the Manchester side will be aiming to stifle a Beeston attack which has scored more than five goals a game in league matches so far.

LOUGHBOROUGH, November 4 - Simon Egerton hit a hat-trick to keep Beeston at the top of the England men's hockey league premier division as they took their latest win of the campaign with a 5-3 score line against Loughborough Students on Friday evening.

He struck twice inside the first half hour to give Beeston a 2-1 lead before rounding off another fine performance with his third in the second half. He now leads the top scorers in the league with 17 goals, having notched 10 more than second-placed James Tindall.

LOUGHBOROUGH, November 2 - The fireworks start early in the England men's hockey league with Loughborough Students hosting Beeston in a premier division derby encounter on Friday night.

This is a weekend for re-arranged matches after the Euro Hockey League as the England Hockey Futures Cup ties up many of the country's top 15- to 18-year-olds at Cannock.

ENGLAND, October 28 - Alex Penney hit six goals as Surbiton blasted their way through Isca in round three of the Men’s Cup. Strugglers Surbiton might be tenth in the Premier Division, but they put Isca to the sword on Sunday with a 10-0 drubbing.

Cannock are third in the Premier Division and they faced Canterbury who sit one place above them. But Cannock managed to turn the tables on the favourites, with a resounding 6-1 victory.

LONDON, October 26 - Beeston kept their perfect start to their England men’s hockey league premier division season going yet another week with their sixth win in six games against struggling Southgate on Saturday.

But the team who sit second from bottom were no pushover and Beeston had to work hard to take all three points.

Ben Arnold put them into the lead after 22 minutes and Adam Dixon stretched the advantage on 40 minutes.

Simon Bird fired home in the 54^th minute to set up a tense finale to the game but Beeston held on to keep their winning streak alive.

CANTERBURY, October 26 - Canterbury remain in control of the Investec women’s premier division after a 4-2 win over University of Birmingham on Saturday.

Lucy Hyams gave them an early lead when she struck after eight minutes. Grace Balsdon added a second from a penalty corner in the 21^st minute to make it 2-0 but University of Birmingham pulled a goal back through Tina Evans before half time.