Hockey round-up: Dalton’s double derails leaders as Spalding bounce back

Rob Dalton bagged both goals as Spalding 1st stunned East Men’s Hockey League Premier B leaders East London 1st 2-1 on Saturday.

Having suffered a humbling defeat the week before, Spalding were hoping to rediscover their best form in the Glen Park clash with the league’s top side.

They duly delivered, playing some of their best hockey of the season in the first period before Dalton slotted them ahead from a short corner.

Another short corner in the second period saw Dalton deliver his second goal of the clash, before the table-toppers pulled one back.

It mattered little, with Spalding holding in to claim an eye-catching victory.

Also on-song were Long Sutton 1st in Division 2N. They beat Bourne Deeping 2nd 6-1 on the road.

Tyler Hagan (2), Josh Baker (2), Sam Markillie and Dan Batten got the goals.

In Division 4NW, Spalding 3rd were held to a 3-3 home draw against Cambridge South 2nd.

Their goals came from Jeremy Watt, Kieran Scholes and Michael Morris – but they weren’t enough to keep Spalding top of the table.

That’s because Long Sutton 2nd trounced Bourne Deeping 3rd 6-0 at the Peele Leisure Centre to leapfrog them at the summit.

Luke Proctor, James Collingwood-Smith, Josh Fyson, Will White and Luke Jackson (2) netted for them.

Third-placed Spalding 2nd went down 4-3 at Cambridge South 3rd with Max Bland and Ryan Mountney among the scorers.

There was a big 5-0 win for Spalding 4th at St Neots 3rd in Division 5NW, as Joe Higgins (3) and Alex Cunnington (2) shone.

Down in Division 6NW (N), Dan Plant’s double earned Spalding 5th a 2-2 draw with Leadenham 3rd, while Long Sutton 3rd were 5-2 winners over CoP 8th with Jon Goodley (3), Sam Smith and Adam Pack notching.

• Spalding Poachers 1st enjoyed a morale-boosting 3-1 win at Cambs City 4th in East Women’s Hockey League Division 2NW. Ellie Pybus (2) and skipper Karen Timby were the scorers.

Long Sutton 1st were beaten 3-1 by Bourne Deeping 1st in the same league, with Connie Gittins netting.

Elsewhere, Spalding Poachers 2nd lost 2-1 against Huntingdon 1st despite AJ Taplin’s strike and Lisa Dean fired Spalding Poachers 3rd to a 1-0 victory at Alford 2nd.