Three players helped themselves to hat-tricks as Spalding 3rd waltzed to a huge 13-1 derby win over Bourne Deeping 4th in East Men’s Hockey League Division 5NW on Saturday.
Jacob Drew (4), Dan Azzopardi (3) and Michael Morris (3) all impressed in front of goal at Glen Park as Spalding shot up to third in the standings.
Daniel Plant (2) and Harry Blackman rounded off the rout to three wins in their last four games.
Elsewhere, Spalding 1st’s impressive start to the Premier B season continued on Saturday with a fabulous 5-2 win over Ipswich-East Suffolk 1st.
It’s now four wins from seven games for the men in maroon, who moved up to fourth place in the still relatively early season standings following the away success.
Ace goal-getter Stuart Cunnington helped himself to two of the goals at Ipswich School Sports Centre as Spalding called the tune.
George Halgarth, Joe Higgins and Jacob Baker bagged the others as Spalding made it three wins on the spin, having scored at least five goals in each of those victories.
Down in Division 3NW, two South Holland sides are among the four sides leading the way on 11 points.
Unbeaten Long Sutton 1st sit second on goal difference after edging a thrilling battle with Louth 1st 5-4 at the Peele Leisure Centre.
Josh Fyson led the way with a double, while Jeremy Watt, Luke Jackson and Brad Sargeant got the other goals.
Dan Batten also starred with a man-of-the-match showing.
Spalding 2nd are unbeaten too and sit fourth after they produced an assured showing to see off St Ives 2nd 2-1 at Glen Park.
Two first half-goals from Steve Rogers were enough to claim the points for Spalding, despite a short corner response from St Ives early in the second half.
The visitors were limited to two shots on target in the entire game and, although Spalding weren’t at their attacking best, they were clearly the better side and deserving of the victory.
In the same division, Long Sutton 2nd are in the bottom three after suffering a 7-2 defeat at St Ives 1st.
Will Taylor and Tom Burton both got themselves on the scoresheet for Sutton in what was always going to be a testing fixture for them.
Down in Division 6NW (N), youthful Long Sutton 3rd continue to lead the way after an impressive 5-1 win over Leadenham 3rd.
A treble from the more experienced Gary Hales was the catalyst for victory against an all-adult side, while Dom Ibrahim and Jack Smith rounded off the scoring.
Spalding 5th are hot on their heels in second place, but were without a game and now sit four points behind Sutton with two games in hand.
In the same division, Spalding 4th got their maiden win of the campaign by beating hosts City of Peterborough 8th 2-0.
- Long Sutton 1st enjoyed a hard-fought 3-2 win at St Ives 1st on Saturday to secure their second win of the East Women’s League Division 2NW campaign.
Sutton took an early lead when Hannah Baker pounced on a rebound from Connie Gittins’ fierce shot and slotted home.
Jess Burton then gave them a 2-0 lead at the break when she netted from a goalmouth scramble.
The hosts pulled one back after the break, but Gittins soon restored the two-goal cushion when she slammed home a Baker pass.
A late second from the hosts wasn’t enough to derail Sutton and they held firm.
In the same division, Spalding Poachers grabbed their first point of the season after 2-2 draw at Cambridge University 3rd.
They twice came from behind, with Evie Maltby making it 1-1 at the break and Georgina Maplethorpe striking later to secure a draw.
In Division 3NW, Spalding Poachers 2nd were 2-0 winners of Horncastle 2nd at home with Pippa Bembridge and Charlotte Morris scoring.
Meanwhile, Spalding Poachers 3rd and Long Sutton ladies’ 2nd were both without fixtures and sit fourth and eighth respectively.
