BRACES from Ryan Lane and Alex Bevins was just the tonic that Solihull Blossomfield needed after winning their first West Midlands Premier match this season.
The men’s first team went up against fellow strugglers Lichfield 3rds, but showed no sign of their own shortcomings so far this campaign in a rampant 5-1 victory.
Lane provided the first early on with a composed finish, then doubled the lead before the break following a well-worked team move.
Bloss’ dominance led to a first of the game for Bevins, who swept home a loose ball, while Nisar Chaudhry added to the rout with a penalty stroke.
Bevins had his second and Solihull had their fifth towards the latter stages, and while the visitors did net a consolation, it did little to dampen the mood.
There was also success for the men’s second team, who were 2-0 winners at Old Halesonians 3rds in South West Division One.
Bloss were good value for the points in their final fixture of the calendar year, going in front midway through the first half when Logan Robertson finished at the second attempt inside the D.
The Mowat brothers came to the fore for the second goal, with Harry teeing up Mike to fire home – a goal which effectively sealed victory despite Old Halesonians launching a second-half onslaught on Bloss’ goal.
A third victory of the season was claimed by Blossomfield ladies’ first team away to University of Birmingham 3rds, thanks to Emma Scott’s first-half winner.
Solihull were deserving of the three points in the Midlands Division One encounter, albeit in a game that was settled by a single goal following good work by Elis Harrison to round the keeper and centre for Scott.
The result was in stark contrast to Bloss’ ladies second team, who remain winless in Division One of the Warwickshire Womens Hockey League.
They went down 2-0 on the road to Atherstone despite putting on a dominant display in the opening half.
Solihull’s third string were rampant in Division Four, continuing their 100% record with an 11th win of the season at home to Olton & West Warwick 6’s.
In the 4-0 rout, Jo Hine got the scoring underway after finishing from a short corner, while Hannah Shoreson fired a brace and Margot Griffith found the net after the break to complete the comprehensive scoreline.
OLTON & West Warwick’s ladies first team signed off their year in style with a comprehensive 9-1 drubbing of Investec Ladies Division One North rivals Leeds.
The win over the division’s basement side pits Olton in third at the halfway stage of the season on 18 points, with three games in hand on second-placed Swansea and an extra fixture to play on the leaders Leicester City.
Alice Conquest put the hosts in front on six minutes at Grange Road, a lead which was doubled three minutes after by Kate Brough’s effort from open play.
Leeds struck in the 25th minute to reduce the deficit, but Sade Gerald quickly ensured the two-goal cushion was restored on the half-hour mark.
It allowed Olton & West Warwick to run rampant in the second half and bolster their stranglehold on the game, first when Sally Walton netted a quickfire brace in the 41st and 46th minute, followed by Brough’s second 15 minutes from time.
There was a second for Gerald on 59 minutes, followed by Brough’s hat-trick goal and a debut strike by Abigail Forsythe just a minute later to round off proceedings.
The men’s first team were unable to match the feats of the ladies and went down 4-0 to Bowden to continue their mixed first half to the season.
Regardless of the result, Olton stay fifth in Men’s Division One North on 15 points, having won and lost five games apiece at the halfway mark.
Olton went into the fixture with a couple of injuries and then lost one of their penalty corner specialists just five minutes into the game, something which evidently hampered their chances during a goalless first half.
Bowden took advantage of the hosts’ shortcomings and struck twice in two second-half minutes to take control of proceedings, followed by another couple of goals in the final six minutes.
