Undefeated Drayton target yet more away day points

The table-toppers make the trip to face a Stone side who are sitting bottom of the standings having lost 10 of their 12 league games.

Unbeaten Drayton will go into the clash in confident mood having made a winning return to action last weekend in their rearranged assignment away to North Stafford.

The same fixture last produced a thrilling 5-5 draw but Saturday’s clash saw the Pirates power their way to a resounding 7-1 success.

Some slick passing and clinical finishing saw took the visitors to victory.

Not for the first time this season, goal machine Jesse Tomstone led the way as racked up another hat-trick.

Captain Phil Riley led from the front and provided support with a two-goal blast while Dan Venables and Gareth Bowen, making his first appearance of the season, both struck once.

Jos Parsons took the man-of-the-match honours with an impressive display in his new position at left-back under.

The victory left Drayton three points clear of their nearest rivals Newport seconds, who benefitted from a 5-0 walkover after Lichfield failed to raise a team.

But third-placed Newport thirds slipped up as they suffered a 6-1 reverse away to fourth-placed Stone fourths. Another victory this weekend would see Drayton, who have only dropped two points so far this season, pull further clear of at least one of the Newport teams as they face each other in an in-house derby on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Newport’s first team Midlands Division Six North West title credentials will be put to the test again on Saturday.

Having returned to action last weekend with an impressive 3-1 success at high-flying Bridgnorth II, the table-toppers face a crunch showdown away to second-placed Cannock II.

Alex O’Keeffe, Tom Anderson, and Ricky were on target for Newport.

Title-chasing Ludlow ladies made a great start to the second half of the Midlands hockey Division Five Moorland season.

The table-toppers returned from the festive break in style as they eased to a 4-0 win over North Stafford thirds

It took the hosts 15 minutes or so to settle but they then found their shooting boots with Vick Roberts receiving a pass from Naomi Burgoyne and firing them in front.

Roberts then grabbed a second goal with a skilful reverse stick shot, with the assist from Sidonie Allsop.

Stafford attempted to hit back in the second half but some strong saves from goalkeeper Chloe Jones and solid defending from Rachel Jones, Karen Hadley, Miley Aston and Harriet Price held them off.

Ludlow then managed to extend their lead from a short corner, when Scarlett Jones hit the backboard.

The hosts wrapped up the scoring when some flowing passing around North Stafford’s defence was finished off with a strike from Leahana Parry.