St Albans Hockey Club’s youth players took centre stage on Saturday as they helped the men’s 8ths to a 4-1 win over Berkhamsted.

Thirteen-year-old Dan Burns and Sam Vance, 14, played a major part as the club’s newest team went second in Division 9SW of the East League.

The success of the teenagers comes on the back of the club’s half-term holiday camp, which saw several current international players coaching nearly 70 local young players at Oaklands.

Earlier in the day, a teenager-packed men’s 3rds, with boys’ captain Callum Emmerson to the fore, recorded an emphatic 4-0 victory over Richmond. On the road, the men’s 1st XI played out a goalless draw at Chelmsford in an even game which ended with unconverted chances at both ends.

The highlights of the weekend for the Tangerine Army, however, were two 2-0 away wins, achieved by the ladies’ 3rds and 5ths. Both teams are now second in their respectively leagues.

This Saturday the unbeaten ladies’ 1sts head to Horsham, while the men’s 1sts headline another full programme of hockey at Oaklands in a 3pm pushback against City of Peterborough.