St Albans Hockey Club began their East Premier League campaign with a 2-0 win against Blueharts at Hitchin.

After a period in which corner opportunities went begging and the Blueharts threatened, St Albans took the lead when John Mould won a penalty corner which Matt Davey fired low for Luke Samarasingh to deflect into the goal.

The second followed soon when another corner was deflected by Craig Smith onto a foot on the line and the resulting penalty flick was calmly converted by Mark Lowden.

Back at home, the returning Holly Parsons led the St Albans ladies’ first team to an emphatic 5-1 win over Maidenhead at Oaklands. Great all-round performances saw the tangerines dominate the game from the start going 4-0 up within 24 minutes through Chrissie Horn and Ellie Watton field goals and penalty corner goals from Tash Humphis and Amy Kee. The scoring was completed by penalty corners either side of half time, from Maidenhead player-coach Jane Smith and a second for Tash Humphris.

Other games included five wins and four draws for tangerine sides. Andy Golding led the club’s new men’s 8th XI to a 4-0 victory over West Herts in their first ever league game. The ladies’ 2s matched the first team with a 5-1 home win of their own against Crostyx. England and GB Ellie Watton became the club’s first ever ‘pool coach’ taking charge for the Ladies’ 5s in their 3-3 draw against St Neot’s.

This Saturday is a ‘Friends Reunited’ day at the club, with everyone including friends of the club and former players invited to Oaklands to renew old acquaintances.

The ladies have a crunch match against East Grinstead at 1pm and the men team take on Bedford at 3pm.

Oaklands College saw Under 18 hockey players of all ages and experience descend on St Albans Hockey Club last week for the first in a series of hockey masterclasses run by St Albans 1st XI player, GB and England’s Ellie Watton.