Ladies enter season break top of the table

For their final game of the first half of the Men’s Hockey League season, Team Bath Buccaneers made the long trip to Brighton & Hove, with injuries seeing a late call-up for Oliver Jameson, who made his debut in the National League.

The weather made for a slippy and fast pitch, which Buccs used to their advantage. They were awarded a penalty corner in the fourth minute and Loughrey scored on the retake with a reverse shot after the two previous efforts were saved.

Brighton were awarded a penalty corner of their own four minutes later, but Jackson saved off the line.

Edwards’ reverse from Rawlings’ cross went narrowly wide before Buccs ended the half with three green cards for misjudged tackles. However, solid defence kept their lead intact at half-time.

Increased circle entries in the second period saw Rawlings gather a loose ball from a scramble and force in Buccs’ second.

This spurred the visitors on, with Mackenzie’s effort from Loughrey’s aerial just missing the post. Edwards scored the third on 49 minutes with a sublime reverse deflection at the back post.

Brighton were only making the odd foray on the counter and they failed to take penalty corner opportunities, which were run down by King and saved by Foxhall-smith.

The last ten minutes saw Buccs take advantage of their fitness and dominate possession, passing at ease.

The game was rounded off in the 64th minute when Edwards crossed for Loughrey to make it 4-0. This leaves Buccs fourth in Division One as they head into the midseason break.

In the Vitality Women’s League, Buccs enjoyed a 3-1 win at home to Penarth to enter the break leading the Conference West by two points from Oxford Hawks. The league returns in February.

There are still a couple of weeks left in the West Area Leagues before their festive break. Buccs 2nd suffered a 4-2 defeat in the men’s Premier Division. The game was a battle of the unbeaten sides, with Cheltenham keeping their streak intact and going three points clear at the top.

In Division One North, Buccs 3rd condemned leaders University of Bristol 2nd to their first defeat of the campaign. The narrow 2-1 win sees Buccs close the gap to four points in third. City of Bath edged a five-goal thriller at home to Clifton Robinsons 3rd to remain four points further back in fifth.

Buccs 4th were another side to win 3-2 in Division Two East as they continued their unbeaten start in Division Two East. The win over Marlborough keeps Buccs a point ahead of the chasing pack, which has three sides all locked together. The seventh side enjoyed a 5-0 victory at home to Chippenham 4th to move up to seventh in Saxon Division One.

Perfect leaders Corsham moved to eight wins from eight, edging the local derby against Buccs 5th 2-1 to see the third-place side fall eight points behind. City of Bath 2nd were beaten 3-1 at home to Devizes 2nd, while bottom side City of Bath 3rd lost 3-0 at Chippenham 3rd as their winless campaign continues.

Keynsham remain top of Concorde Division One on goal difference following a massive 7-0 win at North Somerset 2nd. Buccs 6th are now nine points adrift in fourth after losing 6-2 at second-bottom Bristol & West 4th.

The derby in Saxon Division Two saw Keynsham 2nd edge a five-goal thriller against Buccs 8th to sit a point behind leaders West Wilts 2nd, with a game in hand, in third. Corsham 2nd were 4-1 winners at North Wilts 2nd to sit three points behind Keynsham in sixth.

In the women’s divisions, Buccs 2nd won 4-2 at home to Howardian to stay four points behind unbeaten leaders Clifton Robinsons 2nd. The third team edged past Newent 2-1 in Division One North to move level on points with the fourthplace side.

The derby in Division Two East finished all square as Keynsham and Corsham drew 1-1, leaving the latter a point ahead in third. Corsham 2nd were also involved in a derby in Whitehorse Division One, narrowly losing 2-1 against City of Bath, who remain four points off leaders Buccs 4th following their 7-0 thrashing of Chippenham 3rd. Buccs 5th were 6-1 winners at North Wilts 2nd to move up to fifth.

Keynsham 2nd narrowly lost 2-1 at Bristol Firebrands 4th in Brunel Division One and are now four points off the seventh-place side. In Whitehorse Division Two, Buccs 6th moved to eight wins from eight with a 3-0 success over visiting Devizes 2nd. Corsham 3rd remain nine points behind in second after their 2-0 win against Royal Wootton Bassett 3rd.

In Berkeley Division Three, Keynsham 3rd held their nerve to beat hosts Knowle 3rd 2-1 for a first win of the campaign to move a point above Knowle and into seventh.