Hockey: Reading men maintain pace at top

It was stay-as-you-are in the Men's National League First Division yesterday, with the top three teams all winning. First-placed Reading coasted to a comfortable 4-0 victory against pointless St Albans, while Cannock, in second, beat Canterbury 3-1. Loughborough Students, 5-1 winners at home to Teddington, remain in third place.

It was stay-as-you-are in the Men's National League First Division yesterday, with the top three teams all winning. First-placed Reading coasted to a comfortable 4-0 victory against pointless St Albans, while Cannock, in second, beat Canterbury 3-1. Loughborough Students, 5-1 winners at home to Teddington, remain in third place.

Those results leave Teddington and St Albans detached at the bottom and looking destined for automatic relegation.

Guildford's good form of late continued with a 5-2 win away at Firebrands with their captain Danny Hall scoring a hat-trick for the second straightgame.

In a middle-of-the-table clash at Surbiton, the home side threw away a two-goal lead, Matt Daly scoring both from penalty corners, to draw 2-2 with Old Loughtonians.

The leading sides in Women's Premier One were all held to draws on Saturday to leave the top of the table unchanged. The top side Chelmsford saw a first-minute lead, given to them by Lynn Bollington, cancelled out by Alex Danson's goal in the 52nd minute. Ipswich, in second, fought back from 2-0 down against Olton & West Warwicks to draw 2-2 and Fyffes Leicester needed a last-minute penalty corner from Becky Herbert to draw 1-1 at home to Doncaster.