Spalding Hockey Club’s leading side cruised into the last 16 of the England Hockey Men’s Trophy with a dominant 12-2 win at March Town on Sunday.
They started superbly, as teenagers Joe Higgins and Joe Rogers scored early – but the home side pulled one back with a well-struck short corner to keep the tie alive.
A period of March pressure followed, but Spalding stepped up the pace and added goals on a regular basis. Higgins went on to score a further three goals, with Rogers also completing his hat-trick.
Dan Needham (2) Stuart Cunnington (2) and Robert Dalton also got on the scoresheet to complete the rout and book a home date with Norwich City on February 7.
Some 24 hours earlier, Spalding 1st earned a 2-2 draw against unbeaten East Men’s Hockey League Premier B leaders Letchworth.
After a goalless first period that saw Cunnington rattle the post, Letchworth went ahead from a short corner.
However, that man Cunnington soon dispatched a short corner of his own into the corner to level matters.
The visitors went back ahead from a penalty flick, only for Cunnngton to again level with a reverse stick strike from the top of the circle.
There was also a point for Long Sutton 1st, as they drew 3-3 with Waltham Forest 1st.
Player-of-the-match Josh Fyson fired home two for Sutton, with Danny Sisson the other scorer.
They had led 1-0 and 3-2, but were left happy enough with a share of the spoils.
Down in Division 4NW, Spalding 3rd remain top despite suffering a 6-1 beating against club rivals Spalding 2nd – who are now just two points off the pace.
Glen Richardson and James Stone scored to put the second side 2-0 ahead, but the ever-dangerous Chris McKenna hit back before half time.
Further goals by Sam Sly, Darren Grooby, Glenn Perkins and Richardson again settled the contest, which was closer than the scoreline suggested.
In Division 5NW, Long Sutton 3rd earned a thrilling 5-4 success over Bourne/Deeping 4th.
A hat-trick from Gary Hales and John Sullivan’s double sealed the points, while Albert Slator’s penalty flick save also proved key.
In the same division, Spalding 4th ran out 7-3 winners over St Ives 4th.
Four cracking goals, two in each half, from Deane Baker proved to be the deciding factor here, with Alan Cerevicius and Darren Willson also amongst the scorers.
Meanwhile, Long Sutton 4th and Spalding 5th both kept their Division 6NW (N) promotion hopes alive with victories.
Sutton saw off Alford 2nd 1-0, with Ian White getting the sole goal in a game that saw Josh Ripley named man of the match.
Spalding 5th were comfortable 3-0 winners at Grantham 1st thanks to goals from Jack Martin, Cam Ibrahim and Dan Azzopardi.
- It was another tough day for Spalding Hockey Club’s three ladies’ teams as all were soundly defeated in East Women’s Hockey League on Saturday.
Spalding Poachers 1st are still searching for an elusive first victory of the season in Division 1N after a 6-0 reverse at old foes City Of Peterborough 1st.
It was their biggest defeat for several seasons and leaves them with just two points from nine matches.
Spalding Poachers 2nd, meanwhile, saw their five-game unbeaten streak ended by a 2-0 home reverse against Cambs Uni 3rd in Division 3NW. Some top saves from keeper Donna Chester O’Neil kept it to 0-0 at half time, but she shipped twice after the interval.
In the same division, Spalding Poachers 3rd lost 10-0 against Cambs South 1st.
