EHL Fixtures 2005-06

The men have a curious season this year with the break in the Premier Division whilst players are away on international duty. This means a packed schedule of fixtures this autumn. The women in EHL Division 1 have a more conventional timetable but this does mean the chance to see EHL hockey at Sonning lane from the end of September until the beginning of May. Reading men will start away at Chelmsford on the 25th September followed by a tempting double header weekend on 1/2 October. On the Saturday the Blues will face Surbiton followed by Guildford on the Sunday. The women start their campaign that weekend away at the University of Birmingham followed by their first home game on the 8th against Wimbledon. The men first resume their great rivalry with Cannock away from home on 22 October. Towards the end of November the men start playing their games on a Saturday to avoid England training on Sundays but unfortunately the fixture list has thrown up no bumper weekend where both men and women are playing at home. The women play their last autumn home game on the 26 November against relegated Sutton Coldfield and the men go into their long winter break by finishing with Old Loughtonians at Sonning Lane on 10 December.

Both teams will again be in the Higgins Indoor League in January then it will be up to the ladies to provide your winter league action, although there may be the prospect of a “friendly” cup to keep the men in shape whilst their internationals are away. The women start on 28 January against Birmingham Uni and finish with another set of students at Sonning Lane on 1 April. With their highest ever league placing of 3rd in Div 1 achieved this year, the ladies will be hoping they avoid a foolish end to the season.

However a spring treat is in store as you then get the remaining five games of the mens program. Three of these will be away but the men will finish at home agains Hampstead and Westminster and their ither home game will be that game against Cannock? Will it be a league decider again? The dates of these matches will depend on England’s internation commitments. They will either be between 9th April and 6th May or between 7th May and 27th May.

READING
ENGLISH HOCKEY LEAGUE
MEN’S PREMIER DIVISION
25 Sep Chelmsford A
01 Oct Surbiton H
02 Oct Guildford H
09 Oct Old Loughtonians A
16 Oct Canterbury H
22 Oct Cannock A
30 Oct East Grinstead A
06 Nov Loughborough Students H
13 Nov Hampstead & W A
19 Nov Chelmsford H
26 Nov Guildford A
03 Dec East Grinstead H
10 Dec Old Loughtonians H
09 Apr ^ Canterbury A
22 Apr * Cannock H
23 Apr > Surbiton A
30 Apr < Loughborough Students A
06 May ~ Hampstead & W H

^ or Sun 07 May
* or Sat 13 May
> or Sun 14 May
< or Sun 21 May
~ or Sat 27 May

READING
ENGLISH HOCKEY LEAGUE
WOMEN’S DIVISION ONE
01 Oct University of Birmingham A
08 Oct Wimbledon H
15 Oct Harleston Magpies A
29 Oct Trojans H
05 Nov Woking A
12 Nov Hounslow & Ealing H
19 Nov Poynton A
26 Nov Sutton Coldfield H
03 Dec Loughborough Students A
28 Jan University of Birmingham H
11 Feb Wimbledon A
18 Feb Harleston Magpies H
25 Feb Trojans A
04 Mar Woking H
11 Mar Hounslow & Ealing A
18 Mar Poynton H
25 Mar Sutton Coldfield A
01 Apr Loughborough Students H