A 2-1 derby win over Bourne/Deeping ladies 1st gave Spalding Poachers 1st their third win of the East Women’s Hockey League season – and moved them three points clear at the top of Division 2NW.
Christina Dewing found herself the busier of the keepers in the early exchanges at Glen Park, but Spalding slowly began to turn the screw and went ahead of 30 minutes when Karen Timby slammed home a short corner.
That was quickly followed by another short corner as Timby picked out Charlotte Maplethorpe at the back post – and she coolly deflected the ball in to make it 2-0.
Bourne/Deeping pulled one back after the break, but Poachers did have plenty of chances to extend their lead.
Their player of the match was commanding defender Jodie Abraham, but it was another top team showing.
In the same division, Long Sutton ladies’ 1st beat COP 2nd 3-2 at the Peele Leisure Centre to go third.
Jess Hudson, Lyn Tancred and Charlene Leuty bagged in Sutton’s second win from three games.
Down in Division 3NW, Spalding Poachers 2nd earned a decent 1-1 draw at a very strong St Ives 2nd.
Having fallen behind early on, Eva Keyes levelled for Spalding to clinch a point.
In Division 4NW (N), Spalding Poachers 3rd are second in the table after putting in a strong performance to beat Bourne/Deeping 3rd 3-0.
Jess Langford (2) and Imogen Elmer netted for the young guns.
Long Sutton ladies’ 2nd are hot on their heels in third after a 4-0 triumph at Louth 2nd. An own goal broke the deadlock, but Millie Lamming, Emmie Gittins and Alex Petty also bagged to clinch the points.
- Spalding 1st – much like the Poachers – continue to go great guns at the top of East Men’s League Premier B.
They won 4-3 at Blueharts 1st, who came down from Premier A last season, on Saturday. Spalding fell 2-0 down, but two Stuart Cunnington goals either side of half time levelled matters.
Two more strikes from goal machine Cunnington put the visitors 4-2 to the good, but Spalding were forced to see out a nervy final five minutes after conceding late on.
Spalding have a 100 per cent record after three games and are three points clear of the chasing pack.
In Division One, Ben Shore, Will Cook, Gary Hales and Josh Fyson all bagged to give Long Sutton 1st a 4-1 home victory over Harleston 2nd.
However, Sutton 2nd were thumped 13-1 at Horncastle 1st and are bottom of the Division 3NW table. Josh Baker got their consolation strike.
Spalding 2nd are only just above them after collecting their first point of the season on Saturday. They drew 2-2 with a strong Bourne/Deeping 2nd outfit, with Dan Adams and Matt Day on target.
Spalding 3rd are above both of them in the table, but were thrashed 5-0 at third-placed St Ives.
The Division 6NW (N) season finally kicked off on Saturday – and Spalding 4th crushed Spalding 5th 6-0 in an all-club affair that was closer than the score suggests.
James Mayhew, Andy Barlow, Alex Cunnington, Shaun Dewing (2) and Ben Scholes bagged.
Long Sutton 3rd picked up a default 5-0 win as Alford 2nd conceded, while Sutton 4th drew a thriller with Louth 2nd 5-5. The goals came from Ian White (2), Jack Smith, Chris Worth and Will Taylor.
