Spalding men secure thrilling first win

Spalding Hockey Club’s men’s 1st team picked up their first win of the new season on Saturday as they defeated hosts Old Loughtonians 1st 3-2 in a cracker.
After a tough start to the new East Men’s Hockey Premier League season following their promotion last year, Spalding raced into a 3-0 lead with Stu Cunnington slotting the opener, Harry Naylor nutmegging the keeper for a second and then Cunnington firing home a gorgeous drag flick.
Skipper Sam Howitt then picked up a green card and the hosts grabbed two goals back, before a string of stellar saves from Nathan Davy late on ensuring the win was secured.
Elsewhere, Spalding 2nd were handed an 8-1 drubbing by St Neots 1st in Division 3NW despite a solitary strike from Harry Blackman.
Spalding 3rd, meanwhile, battled well for a 1-1 draw at Cambridge Nomads in Division 4NW.
An instinctive deflection from Graeme Matthews put them ahead, only for a leveller to arrive before the break. It then took some including some incredible saves from keeper Rob Callaby to keep the scores level.
There was another win for Spalding, as their 4th team handed Cambridge Nomads 4th a 5-1 beating in Division 5NW.
Finley Roy starred with a hat-trick, while Oliver Roy and Callum Fravigar got the other goals.
In the East Women’s Hockey League Division 1N, Spalding Poachers 1st were 5-2 victors over University of East Anglia (UEA) 1st.
Mia Dewing starred with a treble for Spalding, while Hennie Boekestyn and Charlotte Maplethorpe also netted to give them a third win of the season.
Also winning 5-2, but in Division 3NW, were Spalding Poachers 2nd.
A hat-trick from Karen Timby and a brace from young Erin McMurray saw them move up to fourth.
Completing a 100 per cent record for the women were Spalding Poachers 3rd, who picked up a 3-1 success at City of Peterborough 4th.
The hosts led 1-0 at the break, but second-half strikes from Jennie Bradley, AJ Taplin and Sam Foston got the job done.
p Saturday fixtures: Men – Spalding 1st v Harleston 2nd (2pm); Cambs South 4th v Spalding 2nd (3pm); Spalding 3rd v Ely City 2nd (12.30pm); Ely City 3rd v Spalding 4th (2.30pm).
Women – Norwich Dragons 1st v Spalding 1st (12.30pm); Bourne Deeping 2nd v Spalding 2nd (noon); Spalding 3rd have a bye.