Three first half goals pointed Bournemouth to a comfortable 4-1 win over Slough – their third victory in five South Premier League Division 1 West outings.
Bournemouth were ahead inside ten minutes with Conor Moors punishing Slough’s slack defensive play.
The Lions won multiple unconverted penalty corners before George Baugniet [pictured] doubled their lead.
Bournemouth were disappointed not to have put the game to bed long before half-time, but managed to turn round 3-0 up after the experienced Sam Bury set up a move with a perfect aerial pass.
Matt Squires and Moors combined before Dan Bowles applied the finishing touch.
Chris Marrow scored a penalty stroke consolation goal for Slough late on.

​Only goal difference separates Fareham from Southampton at the top of the South Women’s League Division 3B after six rounds of matches.
Fareham’s three-point lead disappeared with a 3-0 defeat by Old Georgians at Weybridge, a result which coincided with Southampton hitting Tulse Hill & Dulwich for six.
Bernie Jones scored twice either side of a Tulse Hill equaliser as Southampton turned around 2-1 up – before flattening their South London visitors with a four-goal second half salvo.
Playing into the driving rain held no fears for Southampton, who took a while before Zoe Stride made it 3-1.  Lauren Gunner got the fourth from a short corner, Lou Hopkins the fifth and Stride a sixth.
Southampton’s Sue Merry reflected: “It was a very solid second-half performance with everyone working hard, our defence holding strong, stepping through and making excellent interceptions and tackles, leaving the visitors with very little time on the ball and even less opportunities to score. 
Steve Lemon was on Cloud 9 (something to do with Leicester City ?) when he drove the Fareham mini-bus to cosmopolitan Weybridge, but he wasn’t quite so chirpy coming back down the A3.
A 3-0 defeat shattered Fareham’s unbeaten start to the campaign – and cost Lemon the chance of being crowned the club’s Manager of the Month.  The rumour mill suggests that instead of getting the Boxfresh goodies, he got (Cracker Jack style) a cabbage.   [Steve Lemon is the only one of the FHC Ladies squad who is of sufficient vintage to remember Cracker Jack …]

The season may only be five weeks old, but its already becoming apparent that both Trojans and Winchester have a battle for survival on their hands in the South Premier League Division 1.
The local pair have each only won once, with Trojans propping up the table after a 6-0 beating at fourth placed London Wayfarers.  They spent last season on Guildford's shirt tails at the top and eventually finished runners-up.
Trojans' only win so far has come against Winchester (2-1 in the opening round of matches), the city club having lost 4-2 to Oxford University, with Ben Hibberd and Kent Langridge on target.

​Sixteen year old Philip Larcombe celebrated his maiden National League goal as Fareham tried in vain to wipe out Southgate’s commanding second half South Division 1 lead.
An hour-plus gone and Fareham were trailing 3-0 when Larcombe and Martin Gough clawed the visitors back into the contest – only for Southgate to convert a penalty corner in the dying stages and run out 4-2 winners.
A goal down to Tim Smyth’s 25th minute strike, Fareham were on the brink of going under when Charlie Hamilton and Alex Williams stretched Southgate’s lead to 3-0.
Fareham head coach Ben Barnes reflected: “We were unlucky to be 3-0 down and had our chances. “We fought hard to get it back to 3-2 but they scored a scrappy fourth goal to put a gloss on it for them.”
Although they lost, Barnes was pleased with the way Fareham played.
“It was a much better performance (than the 6-0 defeat by Sevenoaks). We were without Rory Penrose and Alex Boxall and had to reshape our midfield, but I was pleased with the way we battled and how we played.
“Our forwards worked much harder as a unit this week and it was good having Will Raymond (back from Cardiff & Met) in the squad. 
“If we show more of the same spirit and fight for each other I fancy results will start going in our favour.”

Amy Sheehan's third goal of the season proved insufficient to save Trojans ladies from a 2-1 defeat at fourth placed Investec Women's National League South rivals Slough.
All three goals in the game were scored in a ten-minute spurt either side of half-time, Sheehan's 31st minute strike wiping out a Slough opener five minutes earlier from Laura Bailey, who then celebrated the host team's winner directly after the third quarter restart.
A third defeat in four matches leaves Trojans with six points and sharing the second from bottom slot in the table.

​Fareham’s polished penalty corner routine culminated in six of the goals in their 7-1 win over previously unbeaten Lewes coming from set pieces.
Heather Batten [left] led the way with another four goals and is already on the way to winning a magnum of champagne presented to Fareham’s Player of the Month, an award generously sponsored by head coach Steve Lemon. 
A goal up inside seven minutes through Laura Pendleton, Fareham controlled the game from the outset and were 2-0 ahead soon after when the goalscorer turned provider for a Batten deflection. 2-0.
Batten got her second and Fareham’s third after beating two defenders and the Lewes goalkeeper. Lewes hit the Fareham woodwork from a short corner but by half-time were four-down through Hannah Simon.
Laura Molloy clawed a goal back for Lewes but by the final whistle had seen red, having previously picked up green and yellow cards.
Fareham lost the initiative for a while, but midway through the second half women’s cricket ace Sian Edwards made it 5-1 from another penalty corner.
Two more goals by Heather Batten – both deflected finishes from Pendleton shots – completed the rout – and sent Steve Lemon hop footing to the grog store for that champagne.
The victory leaves Fareham three points clear at the top of South Women’s League Division 3B – local rivals Southampton having conceded their unbeaten start to Barnes, who inched a 2-1 win at Dukes Meadow.
Barnes broke the deadlock after a goal-less first half with a Madi Clark strike, but Southampton kept their patience and equalised from a well worked penalty corner routine through Nat Romain.
With five minutes left, Barnes broke and Jade Marshall-Walker got the winner from an attacking overload.

​

​Outplayed, outclassed and taught a hockey lesson. 
That was Fareham’s fate as they were hit for six by a slick Sevenoaks side, who left the Hampshire side second from bottom in National League South after a 6-0 defeat at Henry Cort.
Their already slim squad hit by injury, Fareham were seldom at the races against their North Kent visitors who spent the past two winters in the England Premier Division.  
Head coach Ben Barnes reflected: “We knew they were going to be strong and really punished us. “Where we valued the ball and kept it well in the 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove, Sevenoaks were a different kettle of fish, a far more polished team. 
“They pressed us well, forced us into bad decisions, we did not start well and it was uphill from the first two goals. We have to be more consistent and will keep searching for ways to do that.” 
Sevenoaks created mayhem down the right flank and were two-up inside ten minutes through the hugely influential Ed Matts and former South Africa international Ian Haley, their player-coach.
Fareham managed to get a slight foothold on proceedings early in the third quarter, but the game was done and dusted once Andrew Ross had converted a short corner and then fired in a penalty stroke to make it 4-0.
Former Great Britain Olympian Richard Mantel, helping out Fareham’s depleted numbers, was sin binned for the penalty award and while he sat in the cooler Aaron Cheema made it 5-0.
Sam George, who had been involved in three assists, completed Sevenoaks six-goal fest ten minutes from time.

Less than 24 hours after scoring Trojans' last gasp 1-0 penalty stroke winner against Investec Women's Western Conference rivals Isca, Amy Sheehan was pounding the streets of Portsmouth, completing the Great South Run in 69 minutes. 

Winchester clawed back a two-goal first half deficit before being beaten 5-3 by South Premier Division 1 rivals Tunbridge Wells, for whom former Havant hit man Ben Alberry scored twice.
Debutant Nick Clark and Ollie Lander got Winchester back to 2-2 but TW struck twice to restore their two-goal cushion.  Ben Hibberd got it back to 4-3 before Tunbridge settled it late on.
Trojans dropped to second from bottom after a 3-1 home defeat by Banbury. Ben Frost scored for Trojans.

​Bournemouth bounced back from their 8-0 mauling at high riding Surbiton to beat South Premier League Division 1 West visitors Tulse Hill & Dulwich 3-2 – university student Hugo Creaney-Birch [pictured] scoring a late winner for the Lions, who were 2-0 down ten minutes before half-time.
Bournemouth started the game energetically and were rewarded by gaining the first of many short corners, the first of which saw Conor Moors’ neat flick denied by the quick reflexes of the Tulse Hill goalkeeper.  A second set piece was also well defended. This was to become a recurring theme.
Against the run of play, Tulse Hill managed to break into the circle and gained their first corner, which Mark Forshaw converted.
Bournemouth, having lost Moors and teenager Euan Etheridge to green cards, found themselves 2-0 down ten minutes before the break – Tarn Huxford doubling the TH lead from a corner.
Bournemouth responded well as they continued to apply pressure on the Tulse Hill defensive and, as  the half came to a close, the ball was intercepted in midfield and Euan Etheridge picked it up at pace playing in Matt Squires on the edge of the D.  He thought about shooting but neatly played the ball to Matt Underhill to halve the Tulse Hill lead.
Bournemouth forced several unconverted short corners early in the second period but, despite being reduced to ten men when Moors was sin binned, drew level - a moment of magic from George Baugniet in the Tulse Hill circle drawing the Lions level 2-2.
The intensity remained high in the closing stages as both teams went for the winner. With five minutes left, Baugniet saw an effort cleared off the Tulse Hill goal-line.
As the game drew to a close, an opening allowed Ross Hattemore to carry the ball past several players and played it into Hugo Creaney-Birch, who successfully won another short corner and converted it with a clinical reverse stick shot for Bournemouth’s 3-2 winner.

Bournemouth's South Premier League Division 1 West squad
​Top (from left): Joe White, Hugo Creaney-Birch, Matt Underhill, Bailey Chatwin, Sam Bury, George Baugniet, Rob Clowes, Paddy McCalister©️. Front: Dan Bowles, Ross Hattemore, Matt Squires, Euan Etheridge, Conor Moors, Charlie Cooper.

​Souuthampton remain hot on Fareham’s heels at the top of the South Women’s League Division 3B with a 6-0 win over Hailsham – all six goals coming in the second half !
They were on a winner once Sue Merry and Zoe Stride scored back-to-back goals within ten minutes of the start of the second half.  The opening goal came from a well worked short corner and the second from a defence splitting pass.
Two-up, Southampton began to enjoy lots of space and midway through the period and after a neat triangular move Bernie Jones scored her first SHC goal.
Southampton doubled their 3-0 advantage in the final quarter, with Stride making it 4-0, Merry converting a penalty stroke and Jones deflecting the sixth.

Havant came from behind to beat overnight National League South leaders Southgate 3-2 in an absorbing affair in the Barncroft Way rain.
Chances came and went before Havant took the lead following a fourth penalty corner – the influential Matt Cox working his way through the Southgate midfield before slipping a pass to Manuel Silvetti to make it 1-0.
Havant twice had opportunities to stretch their lead before half-time, but paid the penalty for not converting them three minutes into the second half when Alex Williams equalised.
Southgate hit the Havant bar before Jack Middleton put the visitors 2-1 up
but the lead was short lived as Cox got the slightest of touches to a Jonathan Pickett flicked at goal for the equaliser.
This was now game on with both teams mounting numerous attacks. Maciej Pacanowski pulled off a great point blank save to deny the visitors and Havant were breaking fast from defence penetrating deep into Southgate's defence.
Havant’s seventh penalty corner was flicked and stuck under the keeper, but was cleared after a goal mouth scramble.
But Havant were rewarded in the 59th minute after another of their fast breaks. Charlie Stubbings, the architect on many of so many breaks, found Mike Deller-Merricks free in the right hand side of the visitors circle. 
MD-M crossed the ball to the unmarked Miguel Rodrigues who slapped the ball past the helpless Roblin in Southgate’s goal. 

Heather Batten maintained her sparkling start to the new season as Fareham Ladies won again.   She took her tally to 13 goals in just four South Women’s League Division 3B matches with a double strike in a 3-0 success at Horsham. 
Having bagged five-goal hauls in two of her previous three outings, the former Trojans National League star, who has dropped down several tiers to play for the inspirational Steve Lemon, needed just six minutes to open the scoring from Kiera Denham's pass. 
Five minutes before half-time Laura Pendelton’s shot from a penalty corner was stopped by the keeper, but Batten scored the rebound.
The early part of the second half was dictated by Horsham, but keeper Chelsea Evans dealt well with several attempts. When she was beaten, Tara Lemon's goal-line clearance helped preserve the clean sheet. 
Having soaked up this pressure, Fareham wrapped up their latest win through a Lydia Jackson strike. Twisting and turning, she left the keeper stranded before scoring with a composed reverse finish - her first goal in a league game.

Singer songwriter Ed Sheeran was on the hockey touchline at Diss watching Trojans slip to a 1-0 defeat to East Anglian hosts Harleston Magpies.
It's unlikely he went specifically to watch Amy Sheehan & Co because his wife Cherry Seaborn was helping her Magpies team to victory.
Trojans returned from their weekend away with nil points having been beaten 1-0 by Cambridge City 24 hours earlier.   They need to beat Isca at Stoneham Lane on Saturday (noon) if they are to halt their slide down the table.

​Sixteen-year old Rory Penrose  scored twice as Fareham got their first National League South win points on the board with a 4-2 victory over Brighton & Hove at Henry Cort.
The King Edward VI School midfielder opened Fareham’s account with a 17th minute short corner conversion before coolly slotting home a penalty stroke three minutes before the half-time break to give the hosts a 3-1 interval lead.
The teenager almost opened Fareham’s account early on, just clipping the outside of the far post before a spell of concerted pressure saw James Meakin have a short corner beaten off the Brighton goal-line and Penrose eventually fire his side in front.
Chris Davey too was unlucky, seeing his shot hit the upright before a slick right-hand move shortly after, initiated by Danny Rawlings and George Davey, see Alex Boxall double Fareham’s lead.
“I was pleased with our start and how we used both sides of the pitch evenly. Really stretched the play and had patience and purpose,” smiled Fareham head coach Ben Barnes.
“The second goal was a passage of play of our possession for a full 70 seconds. Some 15 passes, win a free hit then seven more passes for the goal.”
Fareham’s purple patch was checked when, against the flow, Sam Rose pulled a goal back for Brighton, but three minutes before half-time Fareham were awarded a penalty stroke and Penrose did the rest.
In the third quarter - the period immediately after the break – Fareham were too passive and did not move the ball around with the same purpose, allowing Brighton back into the game and reduce the deficit to 3-2 from a Mike Burney penalty corner.   Soon after Rob Wilson cleared a corner off his own goal-line.
But Fareham responded in the final quarter with Chris Davey’s fourth goal, 11 minutes from time, a clincher.
It might have been five before the end, but Adam Bloomfield was unable to convert a gift wrapped chance set up on the break by Martin Gough.
Head coach Ben Barnes reflected: “Overall I was very pleased with our improved performance which gave us the chance to win the game.
“We have got better each week which is a good thing.
“Still plenty to continue to improve on, but we showed that we are a dangerous outfit when we keep the game simple and play a passing game.”

Havant twice got their noses in front against Team Bath - but had to batten down the hatches to secure a 2-2 draw from their National South League visit to the West Country university.
They made a dream start with Dorset raised Chris Smith finishing well after some great work down the left with Charlie Stubbings linking well with Manu Silvetti.
Havant continued to be in control and started to create some good chances, but the Bath defence held firm. Fedi Bertoni had his first penalty corner effort saved, and but Havant kept pushing for a second.
Bath were penned back in their own half for long periods but in the 23rd minute drew level, when a Havant defender has caught in possession in his own circle and the Scott Rawlings, late of Winchester and Fareham, finished well to make it 1-1.
Havant were soon back in front in the 26th minute with Fedi Bertoni converting Havant’s second penalty corner. The half ended with Havant leading and in control.
The second half started with Havant looking to increase their lead, but Bath emerged from the break a different team, pressing higher and being quicker to every ball. They took control of the match, with Will Penrose (also late of Winchester and Fareham) orchestrating the midfield.  
Havant’s defence held firm under extreme pressure, with goalkeeper Maciej Pacanowski being called into action far too frequently for the visitors’ liking.
Teenager Harry Croft-Baker was outstanding on the right of the defence and he continued to break up the Bath attacks and lead any Havant breakaways.
In the 48th minute Bath (whose ranks included the Bournemouth raised Nurse brothers) were level with a sweeping move to the Havant base line which was finished off by Alex Renwick with a deflection into the roof of the net. 
Bath continued to push for the winner and the roles were reversed from the 1st half with Havant on the receiving end.
• Havant’s attractive home match with table topping Southgate on Sunday will start at 12.30pm, not 2pm as earlier advertised.

It’s three wins on the bounce now for Southampton ladies – but it needed a brilliant last gasp save from England’s 60s veteran goalkeeper Linda Dunham [left] to ensure they beat promoted Winchester 2-1 at Kings’ and put their ninth South Women’s League Division 3B point on the board.
Southampton looked to have secure victory on account of Lou Hopkins’ late goal, but in Winchester’s last ditch attack, Sarah Johns let fly a rasping reverse stick shot – only for Dunham, largely unsighted, to make a marvellous left-hand save and deflect the shot over the bar.
The derby was a high-tempo affair with both teams working hard and having several shots on goal, but thanks to some great defending and goal-keeping at both ends, the score was goal-less until deep into the first half. 
Southampton’s efforts paid off and after a quick free hit just outside the Winchester D and a nice little one-two between Ros Wellington & Emma White, Ros pushed the ball into the far corner to put SHC 1-0 up. 
Winchester successfully converted a swift counter attack going from one side of the pitch to the other to find ex-Southampton player Sarah Johns, who reversed it into the goal. It was a good move.
The second half continued at the same high-pace and highlighted both teams' fitness and depth of squads, but five minutes from time Ros Wellington won the ball and found Zoe Stride towards the top of the D. Her pass set up Lou Hopkins to dive in for what proved Southampton’s winner.  Then came that Linda Dunham save !

Bournemouth twice clawed back a two-goal deficit to share the South Premier League Division 1 spoils in a 3-3 draw with visiting Staines at Chapel Gate.
Behind 3-1 at half-time, they played the bulk of the second half with only ten men after Charlie Cooper was red carded, but salvaged a point through strikes by Conor Moors and George Baugniet.
Bournemouth, having created and fluffed chances early on, fell behind to a 20th minute penalty stroke by Staines skipper Richard Green awarded against goalkeeper Bailey Chatwin.
Staines went 2-0 up through James Laszio, who scored their winner in the opening day 1-0 win over Surbiton, his goal prompting indiscipline in the Lions camp and a flurry of cards. 
Ironically, Bournemouth produced some decent hockey down to ten men and just before half-time Matt Squires ignited an unlikely break down the left-hand side to convert his first goal in four seasons and make it 2-1.
Bournemouth began the second half well, but a mistake in midfield led to Matt Wells making it 3-1 for Staines, against the run of play.
The task got harder when Cooper was sent off for dissent following a foul, but Bournemouth’s remaining ten responded and within five minutes it was 3-2, a quick turnover and a pass into the marauding Ross Hattemore, who went for a trademark wobble through the midfield before sliding the ball to Lymington cricket ace Conor Moors.
Bournemouth went for broke and late on got their deserts. George Baugniet created and finished a penalty corner with a classy upright reverse stick shot.

A second consecutive 2-1 defeat – this time to Canterbury at the Polo Farm – has left Fareham in need of a win from Sunday’s England Hockey National South League match against Brighton & Hove at Henry Cort, 2pm.
Two goals in three first half minutes by Callum Brown-Lea earned Canterbury the win points, three gratefully received after an opening day 8-1 mauling at Southgate.
Shane Vincent, who has joined Fareham from City of Peterborough, clawed a goal back from a penalty corner just before half-time.
Fareham head coach Ben Barnes reflected: “It was a close game where either team could have come out on top. 
“They took two counter attack opportunities from us being guilty of forcing it. We got ourselves back in the game by changing our shape and keeping our heads. 
“Second half we continued to improve but could not get the equaliser. 
“Despite losing Niall Stott and James Speke (both with broken legs) we have regrouped well but felt we need to still be more clinical in the final third, use more width to open teams up if we are to get more from our attacking play.” 

Trojans bossed possession, forced 40 or so circle entries, but couldn’t turn them into goal scoring chances – and were beaten 3-0 by South Premier Division 1 visitors West Hampstead, Chris Todd bagging a hat-trick.
The Stoneham side, who earned a scruffy 2-1 win from their opening day visit to Winchester, forced eight penalty corners, but their routines were awry.
“Couldn’t hit a barn door,” screamed Trojans manager Ian Bassett, who will have short corner routines high on the agenda for tonight’s training session.
On the personnel front, Trojans have recruited Rich Hill from Harborne – he scored at Winchester – while Richard Markham (with son Harry) have returned to the area.
“We haven’t got many changes, mainly promoting from within. Finn Berg, Nathan Hastings, Sam Allsop all have been playing in pre-season, elevated from the seconds.”  
Winchester, meanwhile, suffered a second defeat, beaten 5-1 at Hampstead & Westminster, where Todd Hutcheson was on target.

Trojans ladies twice took first half penalty corner leads before Wimbledon snatched a late 3-2 penalty stroke winner in an absorbing Investec Women’s League National South 1 affair at Stoneham Lane.
They were largely ineffective with their short corner routines last season, but there was a distinct fluidity about the way, initially Maddie Pendle and Jill Toombs converted chances which gave Trojans a 2-1 interval advantage.
In between times, Wimbledon’s mounting pressure grew and it was no surprise when, after a spate of fine stops by AJ Jenkins [pictured left], Great Britain Olympic Gold medalist Crista Cullen put the SW19 girls on level terms.
Trojans forced three successive penalty corners early in the second half, but so too did Wimbledon, probably forcing upwards of a dozen set pieces before Fiona Semple made it 2-2 from a stroke.
Trojans fought hard to hold on in the closing stages, but Wimbledon’s pressure eventually paid off when Semple repeated her penalty prowess to grab Wimbledon’s late winner.