This past weekend proved to be a bustling one for South Berkshire’s hockey teams, with a total of 13 fixtures on Saturday and an additional three on Sunday.
The Men’s 1st team faced a missed opportunity to climb the table, falling 2-1 at Henley. Despite a halftime lead of 1-0 from a solitary goal by Josh Cowell, an ill-disciplined second half resulted in Henley drawing level and securing a last-minute winner. With three yellow cards, Berkshire’s defeat keeps them in 10th spot in the league.
The Men’s 2nd team experienced a challenging day at home against Sonning, ending in a 1-6 defeat, with Rob Pace scoring the consolation goal, placing them in 9th position.
Meanwhile, the Men’s 3rd team had a successful doubleheader, first defeating Milton Keynes 6-1 away and then overpowering Henley 3-2 on Sunday. These victories propelled Berks into the 2nd spot in the league.
The Men’s 4th team secured a 1-3 victory away at Marlow, with Tom Scott scoring his 20th goal of the season, maintaining Berkshire’s position in 3rd.
In a 2-2 draw against local rivals Phoenix Reading, the Men’s 5th team, now in 8th place, saw Elliott Spencer score both goals.
The Men’s 6th team clashed with Phoenix Reading at home, with Craig Osborne as the hero, securing a hattrick in the 3-0 win. This victory propelled Berkshire into the top spot in the league.
The Ladies 1st team celebrated a 4-0 home win against Portsmouth, with two goals from Sarah Kelly and one each from Bello Pio and Jemima Simpson, maintaining Berks in 3rd place.
The Ladies 2nd team had contrasting results over the weekend, winning 1-6 against bottom-of-the-table Milton Keynes and losing 1-2 to Staines at Cantley Park on a wet Sunday afternoon. Despite the mixed outcomes, Berkshire holds steady in 7th position.
The Ladies 3rd team secured a 1-1 draw at Staines, with Beau Plumpton scoring her first goal of the season, maintaining their 10th position.
The Ladies 4th team had two fixtures, winning 2-3 away at Maidenhead on Saturday and securing a 3-1 victory at Cantley with Yateley on Sunday. Ellie Neal and Kyna Will contributed to both wins, placing them 2nd in the league.
The Ladies 5th team easily overcame Iver at home with a 6-1 victory, maintaining their top spot in the league.
In a rare outing, the Ladies 6th team played a friendly with Chertsey, securing a 2-1 win.
Unfortunately, Berkshire vets team faced a 6-0 loss away at Windsor.
Looking ahead, this upcoming weekend promises a massive display of hockey at Cantley Park, with both Men’s 1st and 2nd teams and both Ladies 1st and 2nd teams in action from 10:30 on Saturday morning. Additionally, the Ladies 2nd team will play on Sunday in the cup, aiming to move to the quarter-final stage of the competition, kicking off at 2:30 at Cantley Park.
