PREVIEW: Tale of the unexpected likely as students visit Bretton Gate

The students are an enigmatic outfit capable of beating the best, and losing to the worst, teams in the division.

They lost their first three matches this season before beating St Albans 3-1 last weekend. St Albans had won their first three matches, including a comfortable success over City.

City are up to third after winning 3-1 at rock-bottom Chelmsford last Saturday (October 8) and it’s a position they are keen to at least maintain.

“Cambridge University are always difficult to play against,” City skipper Ross Booth said. “As always we will be facing a very fit, well organised side, but our team chemistry will be better as we have played together for longer and our workrate is second to none.

“We owe our home crowd a good performance after losing our last game at the Gate!”

Booth opened the scoring at Chelmsford and Joe Finding and Ben Newman also netted before half-time.

It was a mixed weekend for City of Peterborough Ladies who lost their 100 per cent record in East Division One North before easing past Spalding 5-0 in an English Hockey Trophy clash 24 hours later.

Tierney Augustine scored a consolation goal in a 3-1 home defeat by Harleston seconds. She also scored against Spalding as did Anna Faux, skipper Lauren Finding, Annie Howells and Lucy Dakin. It was Howells’ first, first-team goal.

City thirds are going well in Division Three North West. They stay second after Georgie Richardson’s hat-trick helped them to a 7-0 win over Newmarket seconds.

Spalding men continue to set a scorching pace in the Premier B Division. It’s four wins from four games after a 6-0 mauling of West Herts seconds when Joe Rogers bagged a hat-trick.

Hard on their heels are City of Peterborough seconds who made it three wins from four games with a 3-2 victory over Ipswich & East Suffolk. Julian Catto, Oscar Sadikot and Nat Taylor scored the goals.

There was a first win for City of Peterborough sixths and a first defeat for City of Peterborough fifths, both in Division Four North West. The sixths beat Wisbech thirds 7-0.

Bourne Deeping travelled to bottom club Upminster in Division One and were surprisingly beaten 5-1.

Bourne Deeping, Long Sutton, Spalding and Wisbech are all in English Hockey Association Trophy action on Sunday.

FIXTURES

Saturday, October 15

EAST LEAGUE

Men

Premier A Division: City of Peterborough v Cambridge University.

Premier B Division: Felixstowe v Wisbech, Norwich City v City of Peterborough 2nds, Ipswich & East Suffolk v Spalding.

Division One: Bourne Deeping v Wapping 2nds, Esat London v Long Sutton, City of Peterborough 3rds v Upminster.

Division Two North: March v Ipswich & East Suffolk 2nds.

Division Three North West: Cambridge City Vets v Bourne Deeping 2nds, St Neots v Wisbech 2nds, Spalding 2nds v City of Peterborough 4ths, Horncastle v Spalding 3rds, Long Sutton 2nds v Ely

Division Four North West: Bourne Deeping 3rds v Cambridge City 5ths, Kettering v City of Peterborough 6ths, Wisbech 3rds v Wellingborough, City of Peterborough 5ths v St Neots 2nds.

Division Five North West: City of Peterborough 7ths v Cambridge South 3rds, Cambridge City 6ths v City of Peterborough 8ths, Bourne Deeping 4ths v Ely 2nds, Louth v March 2nds.

Division Six North West (North): Bourne Deeping 5ths v Spalding 5ths, Long Sutton 3rds v Long Sutton 4ths, Spalding 4ths v Bourne Deeping 6ths, Wisbech 4ths v Alford 2nds.

Division Six North West (South): City of Peterborough 9ths v Kettering 3rds.

Ladies

Premier Division: Wisbech v Wapping.

Division One North: Colchester v City of Peterborough.

Division Two North West: Wisbech 2nds v Cambridge City 3rds, Alford v Bourne Deeping, Spalding v Royston, Long Sutton v Cambridge Nomads, City of Peterborough 2nds v St v Neots.

Division Three North West: Cambridge City 4ths v Wisbech 3rds, Haverhill v City of Peterborough 3rds, Newmarket 2nds v Spalding 2nds.

Division Four North West (North): Bourne Deeping 2nds v Alford 2nds, Leadenham v Bourne Deeping 3rds, Woodhall Spa v Long Sutton 2nds, Spalding 3rds v Louth 2nds, Skegness v March, City of Peterborough 4ths v Spilsby.

Sunday, October 16

Men

ENGLISH HOCKEY TROPHY

First round: Bishop’s Stortford v Wisbech, East London v Spalding, Long Sutton v Felixstowe, Bourne Deeping v Sudbury.