Both the men and ladies of St Albans Hockey Club have started their new season with a bang.
The ladies thumped Ipswich 4-0 to move into second place in the early Investec Women’s Hockey League Conference East while the men had a 4-1 success at home to Cambridge University.
That made it two wins in two and leaves them top of the East League Premier Division.
The ladies went into the game in Suffolk full of optimism.
And with a new coaching line-up and a number of new players, the first game didn’t disappoint.
After a determined start, where they created plenty of scoring opportunities, they took the lead 10 minutes from half-time, Amie Hone deflecting in a shot.
And the girls continued to put on the pressure in the second half.
A well-taken penalty flick from Hone made it 2-0 and two goals in the final four minutes, Hone getting her hat-trick and Tash Humphris adding the other, meant the Tangerines finished game one in style.
The player of the match award went to Adele Sammons for an outstanding display in midfield.
Back at Oaklands College, the men were in equally impressive form.
Having opened their season with a massive 8-0 win at Chelmsford seven days earlier, they battled to a fine success against the Cambridge students.
The light blues proved to be stiff opponents but Ian Scanlon fired Saints ahead with a shot into the roof of the net on 15 minutes.
And even though Cambridge equalised, St Albans made sure they were ahead at half-time. Dave Williams collected the ball outside the circle and was able to turn and fire a ball to the far post where debutant Hugo Christie neatly deflected the ball into the net.
The second half saw the hosts on top, a stat proved by the fact the students keeper Iain Fraser was man of the match.
But even he couldn’t keep Saints out forever and Williams made it 3-1 after good play down the right by Pete Cornell before last year’s top-scorer Tariq Marcano opened his account with a short corner drag flick.
Head coach John Barrett said: “Cambridge were a very good outfit, well drilled and fit and it was a good test which gives us confidence going into next week.”
“We weren’t at our best but due to pure hard work and a desire to win we were able to take the three points.”
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