Basingstoke Hockey Club – News Report 18th Oct

It was another weekend of full-throttle hockey across all of Basingstoke’s adult teams, as the club battled through rain, rivalries and relentless energy to produce a set of results brimming with spirit, teamwork and pride.

The Ladies 1s continued their fine form with a brilliant 4–1 away victory over Southampton 1s. Amelia Wakely was in electric form, striking twice, while Claire Bowman and Ellen Knighton added their names to the scoresheet in a display full of control and attacking flair. A statement win that keeps momentum high as the team continues to climb the table.

The Ladies 2s faced Andover 1s in a nail-biting 0–0 draw that was as tense as it was competitive. Both sides had chances, but solid defending and determination from every Basingstoke player ensured a deserved point. Meanwhile, the Ladies 3s impressed with a superb 4–1 win away at Hamble. Harriet Sage opened the scoring before Janine White converted a clinical penalty flick; Izzy McKillop and Charlotte Hazelwood then sealed the win.  The performance was a display of confidence and cohesion that bodes well for coming fixtures.

There was pride in defeat for the Ladies 4s, who went toe-to-toe with top-of-the-league Southampton and narrowly lost 1–0. Despite relentless opposition pressure, the defensive line led by centre-back Amy Robson and goalkeeper Imi Rixon stood tall, repelling attack after attack. It was a gritty, disciplined performance that showed just how much heart runs through this squad. The Ladies 5s also battled hard but went down 1–0 against Winchester 4s, with Emily Romain’s side giving everything until the final whistle in another close-fought contest.

On to the men, and the 1s endured a tough day against Fareham, falling 6–0 to one of the division’s most formidable outfits. The Men’s 2s, however, brought the spark right back with a superb 2–1 win over Havant 3s - both goals coming from the clinical stick of Dan Holding, whose sharp finishing earned the side three well-deserved points.

The Men’s 3s drew 1–1 with Poole 2s, a result that perhaps didn’t reflect their dominance. Matt Cuss netted from a goalmouth scramble, while Man of the Match Dharmik Patel was outstanding throughout, driving play and constantly threatening the Poole goal. The Men’s 4s travelled to Petersfield looking for revenge against a side that had pipped them to promotion in seasons past, and they got it, in style. After falling behind early, Basingstoke levelled through a great solo run from Harry Cave, before Christian Somerville struck from a tight angle thanks to a clever assist from Jude Smithers. A dominant second half saw further goals from Somerville, Chris Townend and Harrison Spicer-Martinez to seal a superb 5–2 victory and a sweet slice of redemption.

Over in Fareham, the Men’s 5s produced one of the weekend’s most entertaining encounters, coming from behind to win 2–1. The young side, featuring several debutants, showed great maturity after trailing 1–0 at halftime. A slick move down the left from Philip Beer set up Tom Briggs for the equaliser, before debutant Adam Bowyer burst through to smash home the winner on his reverse stick. Man of the Match went to Owen Fellows for an outstanding display at centre-back, his first game in the position, but certainly not his last if this performance is anything to go by!

The Men’s 6/7s brought the weekend to a roaring close with a dominant 5–1 victory over Sonning 5s. Gregg Hamilton netted twice, Elliott Jimpson and Richard Fern added one apiece, with the final goal a team effort, rounding off a confident and commanding performance that showed real togetherness and attacking intent.

The club’s juniors also shone through the downpours, with all age groups in action, battling sometimes torrential rain; The U14 boys racked up a resounding 8-1 win against Woking whilst U12 boys beat Trojans 1–0 before narrowly losing to Bournemouth.  The U12 Girls showed great spirit as they hosted the second round of In2Hockey against local rivals Trojans and Havant. The Reds battled hard through driving rain, drawing 0–0 with Trojans before falling 5–1 to a strong Havant side despite a determined fightback. The Whites made their team debut and impressed with their teamwork and effort, losing 3-0 against Trojans, but going 1–0 up against Havant, a late equaliser denied them the win. The U8s and U10s impressed in their tournament in Andover with skill, teamwork and sportsmanship on full display.

And finally, in a brilliant showcase of Basingstoke’s wider hockey talent, Alex Miller and Jezza Spicer-Martinez represented South Central in the Indoor Masters 2025 London Grand Slam - helping their side to victories over London, the North and Wales, and finishing a strong fourth overall placing.

Basingstoke Hockey Club is more than just a place to play, it’s a community, a family, and a force to be reckoned with. Whether you’re a player, supporter, sponsor or someone curious to pick up a stick, there’s never been a better time to join the buzz at Down Grange.