It will go down as their longest away fixture of the season – but also probably one of their most enjoyable.

Back in May St Albans Hockey Club’s over 60s team hosted Forcial HC from Rockanje in the Netherlands with the Dutch side taking a 1-0 win.

And now the grand masters have repaid their visitors with a trip of their own across the North Sea.

An entertaining 5-3 defeat in the coastal town just south of The Hague did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the Tangerines team who enjoyed more hockey the following day at the neighbouring town of Hellevoetsluis.

That saw 10 scratch teams playing a full day of hockey followed by an oyster and mussel evening.

A spokesman for the side said: “It was a long drive for the St Albans players but well worth the journey.”