Goal-getter Cunnington cracks a brace to help Spalding men win hockey opener

Stuart Cunnington bagged a brace as Spalding Hockey Club’s men’s first team made a winning start to the season with a 3-2 away success over Cambridge University 2nd.

Cambridge had started the Premier B clash brightly and went 1-0 up inside the first five minutes as they caught Spalding who were slow out of the blocks.

Spalding weathered another five minutes of pressure before playing some lovely passing hockey, protecting and controlling the ball very well and it was this that led to the equaliser which was neatly finished by Dan Needham.

More Spalding pressure won them a flurry of short corners which Cunnington despatched to make it 2-1.

Spalding were then caught on the break by Cambs who were fairly clinical on the day and they equalised.

Spalding did not let this deter them and soon went up the other end and despatched another Cunnington short corner to make it 3-2 at half-time.

Cambs pressed Spalding more in the second half, but the visitors were extraordinarily patient for the first 20 minutes playing the ball out from the back well.

The last 10 minutes became somewhat frantic with a flurry of cards for both teams which didn’t really reflect the nature in which the game was played.

Cambs piled on the pressure, but Spalding dug deep and defended well to win 3-2 against a good University team.

• Promoted Spalding 2nd opened their Division Three campaign with a 2-1 home defeat against Ely.

They began brightly and made an experienced Ely side work hard. Some excellent passing moves brought half chances but the home side were denied an early lead by some good keeping.

Spalding took the lead with a crisp short corner strike from man-of-the-match Glenn Perkins and, for a while, looked like they would add to this lead. But Ely defended solidly and slowly came back into the game.

Some poor defending from Spalding allowed Ely to get an equaliser.

Ely exerted their authority in the second half and went ahead following another piece of sloppy defending midway through the half.

Spalding had their moments to equalise and Perkins saw a rifling shot rebound off the post.

• An under-strength Spalding 3rd found an experienced St Neots team just too much as they began their Division Three campaign with a 3-0 away loss.

St Neots, who were playing against the first team not long ago, have lost players but they still have a core of solid players.

Spalding fought their way back having conceded two early goals but found it hard to find room in a well organised home defence.

A late goal sealed the points for the home side.

• Spalding 4th entertained St Ives 4th in a pre season friendly and put together a promising team performance to run out 5-1 winners.

Spalding started at a brisk pace and could well have built up an early lead but for some outstanding keeping.

As it was, St Ives broke away and took the lead with a neat reverse stick shot.

Spalding bounced back and equalised through Andy Barlow. Stuart Perkins then added a second with a trademark cheeky lob and skipper Deane Baker slid in a third at the far post.

In an end to end second half, Spalding defended soundly and added further goals with an individual effort from Ryan Mountney and the first of many flicks into the roof of the net from Shaun Dewing on his long awaited return to the game.

• Despite an unfamiliar line-up and a defence that hadn’t performed together, Spalding 5th ran out 2-1 away winners at St Ives 5th.

They failed to click into gear from the start and conceded within the first couple of minutes.

Spalding then settled and started to gain the advantage and a well deserved equaliser came when Jack Martin’s shot was well saved but fell to Bailey Harker who finished well under pressure.

Spalding continued to dominate and the pressure paid off when a short corner led to a well worked move involving Harker, Martin, Jonathan Smith and Alex Cunnington finishing off.

• Spalding Ladies put in an excellent team performance to get their new campaign off to a great start with a 3-0 home victory over St Neots.

From the off the home side moved the ball around well with Charlotte and Georgina Maplethorpe both causing all sorts of problems.

Some brave keeping kept Spalding at bay until Ellie Pybus nipped in to pick up a rebound to make it 1-0.

A sweet short corner strike from Karen Timby made it 2-0 just minutes later and it looked as if the floodgates might open.

St Neots had other ideas and began to play some attractive hockey through the midfield.

Timby settled the nerves when she slotted home a text book short corner midway through the half.

• Spalding 2nd suffered a 5-0 away reversal at Ely.

Although Spalding were dominant for most of the first half, they were unable to score and Ely took their chances well.

• Spalding Ladies 3rd kicked off the season with a 2-2 draw against a formidable Spilsby side.

Two goals were scored by player-of-the-match Grace Hodgett in the first half giving Spalding a 2-0 lead at half-time.

Spilsby started the second half with determination and scored early after the break and followed up quickly with a second to draw level.

It was very positive start to the season and impressive league debuts for Nina Halgarth, Joan Laverty, Lauren Spenceley and Codie O’Leary.

• The club’s popular junior coaching sessions have got off to a flying start.

The sessions, which are for boys and girls aged 5 to 14 years of all abilities, are held weekly on the all-weather pitch at Glen Park, Surfleet on Saturdays from 9.15-10.45am.

A new attendance record of more than 90 was set last Saturday despite several regulars being away on 11-plus exam duty.

The club has recruited extra coaching staff, including Jack Cropper, a national league player who is head of hockey at Stamford School and coaches England juniors, to coach at the club on Wednesdays evenings (6.30-8pm).

For more information, visit the club’s website www.spaldinghockeyclub.co.uk or email fredricmorris @yahoo.co.uk