Perfect record for Poachers at halfway stage

It’s 11 wins from as many East Women’s Hockey League Division 2NW games for Spalding Poachers 1st after they battered Bourne Deeping 1st 13-1 on Saturday.

Charlotte Maplethorpe (4), Hermione Wright (3), Mia Dewing (2), Harriet Mowbray (2), Maddie Haunch and Georgina Maplethorpe all netted at Glen Park to leave Spalding’s leading ladies seven points clear at the halfway stage of the season.

This Saturday sees them host second-placed Kettering 1st (2pm) in their final game of the year before the festive break.

In the same division, Long Sutton ladies’ 1st were handed a 4-0 home reverse by high-flying Kettering, leaving them down in the bottom three.

Down in Division 3NW, another strike from talented teen Erin McMurray earned Spalding Poachers 2nd a 1-1 draw at Huntingdon 1st to keep them in the top five.

In the same division, Spalding Poachers 3rd claimed a big 1-0 win over relegation rivals City of Peterborough 4th.

Sharon Amess scooped home a late winner to secure their first win of the season.

Meanwhile, Long Sutton ladies’ 2nd are third in Division 5NW after signing off for 2021 with a 2-0 win at Ely City 3rd.

Amelia Norey and Gemma Parr got the goals for the girls in green.

* Spalding 1st remain top of East Men’s Division 1N after a hard-fought 2-2 draw at title rivals University of East Anglia (UEA).

After a goalless first period, Spalding went ahead when Stuart Cunnington flicked home from a short corner routine.

Joe Rogers then doubled the advantage with a stunning reverse flick into the bottom right corner.

However, two late goals – including a leveller with 30 seconds remaining – pegged the maroons back, despite the heroic best efforts of man-of-the-match keeper Nathan Davy.

In Division 2NW, Spalding 2nd picked up only their fourth point of the season with a 3-3 home draw against Cambridge City 4th.

Dan Azzopardi (2) and Tim Maltby scored as Spalding overhauled a 2-0 half-time deficit, but they were pegged back by a leveller.

Also in that division, Long Sutton 1st took part in a six-goal thriller as they drew 3-3 at City of Peterborough 4th.

Travelling with a squad of just 11 players, Josh Fyson’s neat finish from a tight angle and a fine reverse from Josh Baker, also from a testing position, put Sutton 2-0 up only for the city side to pull one back before the break.

The greens tired after the break and fell 3-2 down, but that man Fyson grabbed a late leveller when he flicked home following a short corner routine.

Those results leave Spalding 2nd second-from-bottom and Sutton eighth.

Down in Division 4NW, Long Sutton 2nd continue to impress and are five points clear after hammering Cambs South 5th 7-0.

Gary Hales starred with a typical hat-trick, while Alex Canham chipped in with a double.

Ben Hales and player-of-the-match Frazer Watt got the other goals for Sutton’s second string as they made it ten wins from 11 games.

In the same division Spalding 4th came out on the losing end of a seven-goal cracker at March Town 2nd as they lost 4-3.

Ben Scholes was particularly unlucky to be on the losing side, having helped himself to a hat-trick as Spalding battled back from 4-1 down to set up a grandstand finish.

Down in Division 5NW, Long Sutton 3rd slipped to a 3-1 defeat at St Ives 4th.

Gary Hales bagged their solitary strike and Sutton stay fifth in the table.

Finally, Spalding 5th picked up a 5-0 walkover win in their game at St Neots 4th in Division 6NW, with the hosts unable to raise a side.

That leaves Spalding nine points clear at the top.

* Saturday fixtures: Men – Bourne Deeping 1st v Spalding 1st (1.30pm); Spalding 2nd v Sutton 1st (3.30pm); Cambs City 6th v Spalding 4th (noon); Sutton 2nd v Cambs South 4th (2.30pm); Sutton 3rd v COP 7th (11.30am); Cambs Nomads 4th v Spalding 5th (2pm). Ladies’ – Spalding 1st v Kettering 1st (2pm); Sutton 1st v Pelicans 1st (1pm); Spalding 3rd v Wisbech 2nd (11am); COP 4th v Spalding 2nd (TBC).