Across the EHL | Week Two Review

Women's EHL

Week two of the Women's Division One North and no team has a 100% record, but all teams have at least a point after Saturday’s games. Recently relegated from the EHL Premier Division, Sutton Coldfield, are top of the early table with four points after a 5-0 win over Ben Rhydding with two goals apiece for Emma McCabe and Amber Smit. Also on four points are Gloucester City, who beat Pendle Forest 4-0, including two goals for Jess Roe, while Repton defeated Buckingham 2-1. Leeds beat Olton 1-0 and Beeston drew for the second week running. 0-0 at Loughborough Students 2s. 

Reading 2s, who beat Guildford 3-0, are the only team with a 100% record in Division One South. They lead Holcombe and Exeter University by two points after the teams drew 1-1 in Kent. Bristol Firebrands are also on four points after a 2-2 draw at Surbiton 2s, where the home team came from two down. It was the same scoreline in the Southgate-Sevenoaks games. Teddington got off the mark with a 2-0 win at Harleston Magpies, who are the only team without a point. 

Trojans and newcomers Cardiff & Met have two wins from two in Conference West. Two goals from Milly Chatterley helped Trojans to a 3-1 win at Lansdown whilst Jamie Bulbring scored both of Cardiff’s goals in a 2-0 win over Slough. Oxford University and Team Bath Buccaneers are two points behind the top two after their 2-2 draw. There were narrow away wins for Clifton Robinsons 2s, 1-0 at Marlow and Cheltenham, 2-1 at Exeter. 

In the Conference East, Maddie Newlyn hit a hat-trick for Old Loughtonians who enjoyed a 5-1 win at Guildford 2s and are the only team with maximum points after two games. Spencer won 2-1 at Hampstead & Westminster 2s and Old Georgians won 1-0 at Canterbury. The other two games, Wapping v Barnes 2s and Wimbledon 2s v London Wayfarers, both ended 2-2. 

Cannock are top of Conference Midlands after a 3-2 win at Nottingham Trent University, their second successive win. Birmingham University 2s are level with them thanks to their 2-1 win at Leicester City. Molly Hobson hit a hat-trick as St Albans beat Harleston Magpies 2s 7-0. The Cambridge City – Stourport and Oxford Hawks – Cambridge University games both ended 2-1 to the home team.

A single Isabel Moores strike was enough for Alderley Edge to beat Fylde 1-0 as they lead Conference North after two wins. Durham University 2s and Bowdon 2s are also on six points after away wins on Saturday. Durham won 4-2 at Didsbury Northern and Bowdon 2-1 at Wakefield. The two promoted teams both suffered heavy defeats on Tyneside. Newcastle University beat Sheffield 4-1 and Whitley Bay & Tynemouth won 4-0 against Kirkby Stephen.

Open/Men's EHL

Last season’s runners-up, Indian Gymkhana, have made a strong start in Open/Mens Division One South and beat promoted Surbiton 2s 6-2 including two goals from former Surbiton player James Tindall and Ajaz Ahmad. They are on six points, alongside Exeter University, who won 3-1 at Havant with Kaden Draysey netting two of their goals. Canterbury beat relegated Richmond by the same score line, and the other two games ended level; Guildford - Old Loughtonians 1-1, Sevenoaks – Teddington 2-2. 

Loughborough Students, also runners-up in 2024-25, sit top of Division One North after their second win, 4-1 against Birmingham University. Repton are level on points thanks to a 2-1 win over Bowdon with Si Claris scoring both from corners. Durham took the honours in their all-University battle with Nottingham, winning 5-3 including a hat-trick for Rhys Harmer. Deeside Ramblers and Timperley got their season’s underway after last week’s washout. Finn Leonard scored twice as Deeside won 3-0 at Olton and Timperley picked up a point in a 3-3 draw with Harborne. 

Promoted Leek have made a good start in Conference Midlands and won for the second successive week, 3-0 against relegated Stourport, to top the table. Norwich City are just behind them on goal difference coming back from 3-2 down with eight minutes left to beat Banbury 4-3. City of Peterborough and St Albans sit two points back after they drew 2-2. Nottingham University 2s beat their Birmingham counterparts 2-1, and Oxford Hawks overcame Barford Tigers 3-2. 

Robert Goldthorp and Jack Fletcher both hit hat-tricks as Conference North leaders Leeds beat Oxton 9-2. Neston are level on maximum points with them after a 3-2 win at Lindum. Two Liam Kennerley goals helped Didsbury Northern to their first points in a 3-2 win over Durham University 2s. Promoted Newcastle University also got off the mark with a 2-1 defeat of Sheffield. The Yorkshire derby between Doncaster and Ben Rhydding ended 3-3. 

Two Luke Emmett strokes helped Chichester to their second win, a 3-1 win over Exeter University 2s and they lead Conference West. Clifton Robinsons 2s and Ashmoor have also won twice. Clifton won 4-1 at promoted Marlow and Ashmoor beat Team Bath Buccaneers 2-1, both goals scored by Richard Fisher, with the winner being an overtime corner. Promoted Cardiff & Met 2s earned their first point in a 2-2 draw with Isca and Bristol University beat Fareham 2-1. 

40 goals were scored in the five Conference East games, with four teams scoring five. James Cutter scored twice in Old Cranleighan’s 5-3 defeat of Southgate which sees them sit top. They are just ahead of Chelmsford, who won by the same scoreline at home to Brighton & Hove with David Agar hitting a hat-trick. Holcombe 2s and Spencer drew 5-5 in a fluctuating game, with braces for the home team’s Trevor Junior de Lora and Jay Randhawa and the visitors’ Richard Heywood. Hampstead & Westminster 2s and Bromley & Beckenham drew 4-4 whilst Wimbledon 2s and London Wayfarers ended 3-3.