​The Reds regained their composure in the second quarter but were not yet in control. Two Marlow penalty corners were saved on the line, but a penalty stroke awarded shortly before half time was coolly put home by Tom Ferris leaving Marlow in the ascendancy at the break.
Further goals in the third quarter from Sam North and Freddie Smith, allowed them to pull clear at 4-1, but they were never able to engage cruise control against an improving Fareham, who flirted with relegation last term.
Temperatures rose in the fourth quarter, and Marlow found themselves uncharacteristically struggling for fluency. With Durban based South African Tristan Boyall making an encouraging debut, Fareham took advantage and got one back from another penalty corner by Joe Caine shortly before the end of the match, much to the delight of the very vocal home crowd, leaving the final score 4-2 to the visitors.
A final score of 4-2 was a fair result, but Fareham should be commended for their persistence, and the three points earned by Marlow proved that they can “win ugly” on the road when necessary.

Trojans bid for a third successive West Conference victory was dashed by three late Exeter University second half goals.  Matteo Wright sparked the goal frenzy which Will Harvey and Joe Bennett improved, the latter from a penalty corner.

Chichester scored twice in the closing eight minutes to salvage a 2-2 draw against visiting Bristol Firebrands and get their first West Conference point on the board.
They had lost their previous matches to Fareham (0-1), Exeter University (0-5) and Havant (2-3) and a fourth straight defeat loomed when Michael Blair and Tom Smith  fired Bristol into a 2-0 interval lead.
But Chichester responded with Tom Spooner cutting Firebrands lead and Oscar Pacey converting a 66th minute penalty corner to secure a draw. 

​Viacheslav Paziuk converted two trademark penalty corners as Havant turned a half-time deficit it into a 3-2 victory over Chichester, who lie bottom of the West Conference after a third successive defeat. 
The evergreen Ukraine international, pictured, scored twice in five third period minutes before South African youngster Nathan Ansell bagged a third (from another short corner) to put a recovery beyond Chichester's reach. 
Chichester hit the Havant upright midway through the first half and on the stroke of half-time took lead following a turnover in midfield Tommaso Hayes sent a reverse shot past Tim Hoare. 
Twice in quick succession Paziuk fired drag flick penalty corners past Chris Bristow before Ansell made it 3-1.
Chichester responded with a strong finish and a goal by Josh Steel but were unable to salvage a draw.

As a market town at the head of the River Dart, Totnes is probably a pleasant place to visit - not that it's ever on Fareham hockey club's bucket list of places to go.
Fareham lost 4-3 there to West Conference rivals Ashmoor, with manager Malcolm Davies conceding: "It was an awful 300-mile round trip, the distance and traffic being Ashmoor's allies."
"I think we were still snarled up in traffic when Ashmoor took the lead from a second minute penalty corner," he lamented.
But Fareham, who host leaders Marlow at Henry Cort on Sunday (1.30), turned the match on its head either side of half-time, with Churcher's College teen Alberto Browning-Sanchez equalising, then Joe Caine executing a penalty corner to make it 2-1.
Fareham's joy was short lived as Spencer Baxter and Euan Jones scored inside six minutes to give Ashmoor a 3-2 lead, which Fletcher Naisbett-Jones extended with one minute left.   Joe Caine (left) converted a last gasp short corner to make the final score 4-3.
"The return journey felt even longer," Davies groaned. 

Will Strange scored a 53rd minute winner for Trojans, who beat Cardiff & Met 1-0 to seal a second consecutive West Conference victory for the newly promoted Stoneham club,
The goal came from a penalty corner where the initial Sam Mackenzie shot was saved by Met goalkeeper Ollie Adamson. Toby Roberts got on the rebound and pulled the ball across the face to Will Strange, who finished well.
"A 1-0 win, but arguably it should have been more but for a few great saves by Adamson. They had two or three half chances in the game," reflected Trojans assistant coach Ian Bassett.
"We started the game off well and made a number of high turnovers, where we were able to work the goalkeeper, including a double save where Giles Hocking appeared to have an empty goal on the rebound only to have his effort saved.
"Oakley Sparshott-Thompson hit the post with a deflection from a short corner in the final play of the first half and Tim Fewtrell narrowly missed a back post deflection earlier in the game."

Pacey Trojans rocked Firebrands with three goals in the opening 20 minutes before ending up comfortable 5-0 winners against the fellow newly promoted Bristol visitors at Stoneham Lane.
Trojans had been caught out by the pace Marlow played at winning the West Conference curtain raiser 5-3 and turned the same treatment on Firebrands, who were unable to contain last season's undefeated South Central League winners.
Trojans would have been ahead inside the opening 90 seconds had Tim Fewtrell not seen his penalty flick saved.   But it wasn't long before Trojans found the mark, with Ben Frost converting two penalty corner drag flicks either side of a strike by Giles Hocking.
Will Strange and Ed Bulstrode added fourth and fifth goals after the break.
Trojans main striker Oakley Sparshott-Thompson was handed a 'technical red card' in the closing stages.

Two goals up inside the opening four minutes, Fareham were saved by Joe Caine [left], whose late equaliser forced a 4-4 draw against West Conference rivals Team Bath, who twice had the lead snatched away from them in a dramatic finale.
Fareham struck twice before Bath had settled, Ben Randell (2) and Chris Davey (4) giving their side a near perfect start.
Gradually Bath gained a foothold  and reduced the deficit through Jordan Hardacre before the first quarter whistle.
Before half-time Alex Butterfield scored the first of an individual hat-trick to draw Bath level.
He later triggered a goal rush which saw four strikes in the closing nine minutes - the evergreen James Seager levelling at 3-3 before Butterfield restored Bath's advantage from a penalty stroke with five minutes left.   A frantic finish saw Caine save the day for Fareham deflecting a penalty corner with just two minutes remaining.

South Africa Under-21 international Nathan Ansell fired Havant into a 22nd minute lead against Ashmoor, which they preserved to triumph 4-2 at Totnes and open their West Conference win account. 
Ansell, who hails from Cape Town, gave Havant a 1-0 interval lead which Oliver Jameson improved during an early second-half spell which saw Jack Wetherell claw a goal back and, almost immediately, Viacheslav Paziuk restore the visitors' two goal advantage from a penalty corner.
Paziuk repeated the dose to make it 4-1 before Wetherell scored Ashmoor's second.
Havant, held 2-2 by Team Bath in their opener, host Chichester on Sunday (l.30), the West Sussex club having suffered a 5-0 beating by Exeter University.

​Chichester thrashed Fareham 9-1 in the 2025 Western Conference curtain raiser, but were beaten by a solitary first half Alberto Browning-Sanchez (left) goal in their first match on university soil. The teenager was making his national league debut.  Chi missed a penalty. 
Viacheslav Paziuk converted a penalty corner seven minutes from time to earn Havant a 2-2 draw with Team Bath, the Western Conference match having much earlier produced three goals inside two minutes - Bath pair Alex Butterfield and Matt Oddie having cancelled out James Speke's equaliser.
Weekend Western Conference matches-
Saturday: Exeter University v Chichester, Trojans v Firebrands (Stoneham, 5pm)
Sunday: Ashmore v Havant, Fareham v Team Bath (1.30), Marlow v Cardiff & Met.

​Promoted Trojans suffered their first defeat in over 12 months when strongly fancied Marlow spoiled their long awaited England Hockey West Conference with a 5-3 victory at Stoneham Lane.
Trojans shared the first half spoils and turned round 2-2 with Oakley Sparshott-Thompson and Ben Frost (penalty corner) on target. Oakley Sparshott-Thompson made it 3-3 after the break, but Marlow scored two unanswered third and fourth goals. 
The Trojans squad showed plenty of promise and with some exciting new faces joining the squad this season, are looking forward to seeing them develop as a unit as weeks go by. 
Captain Sam Mackenzie said: "It was not the result we wanted, but a really positive performance against a strong Marlow side. We showed a lot of fight, quality and togetherness throughout the game, and there are plenty of positives to take from it. There’s a lot of potential in this group, and we’re excited to keep building, improving and seeing what we can achieve going forward."

Havant and Fareham are on the cusp of separate England Hockey League relegations.
With two matches remaining, the local pair are currently stranded deep in relegation trouble in their respective South and West Conference divisions.
They must both win their final two matches to stand any chance of avoiding the drop, starting with Havant who host Surbiton II in a ‘must win’ South League six-pointer at the college on Saturday teatime, 5.45pm. 
With once powerful Canterbury already relegated, Havant’s survival hopes lie on beating Surbiton and then scoring a hefty win at the Polo Farm on March 29.
They lie second from the foot of the South log after a 4-3 defeat by Richmond, who led 4-1 with five minutes left when James Speke cut the gap and Viacheslav Paziuk converted his second penalty corner.
But it was too little too late for Havant.  
Fareham at least have the comfort of playing their final two West Conference matches at Henry Cort, but they must beat Cardiff & Met (Sunday, 1.30) and Exeter University to climb out of the bottom two.
Fareham have lost their last four matches, conceding 20 goals in the process, the most recent a 6-0 drubbing by champions in waiting Clifton Robinsons.
Chichester lost 4-2 to Team Bath, all the visiting goals coming from penalty corners. Elliott Scott and Oscar Pacey replied.

Fareham sank deeper into England Hockey West Conference relegation trouble with a 5-1 defeat at bottom club Isca.
It was the club's third successive loss during which time they have conceded 21 goals and scored only three themselves. 
They remain in desperate relegation trouble on - 13 points, the same number as Exeter University and two more than Isca.
Fareham have three games left - at table topping Clifton Robinson in Bristol on Sunday, then Exeter University and Cardiff & Met, both at Henry Cort.
Fareham's solitary goal against Isca came from a Joe Caine penalty corner when they were already 3-0 down.
Fareham seconds could escape the drop from the South Central League after Rob Wilson scored twice in a 4-2 win over Oxford University.
A spate of yellow cards saw Fareham reduced to nine men at one point in the second period.  James Fryer and Tom Larcombe also scored for Fareham, who lie second from bottom with three games left to play. 

Trojans are within three wins of a remarkable South Central Hockey League clean sweep after winning all 19 matches and plundering 90 goals in the process.
It means a long awaited return next autumn to England Hockey's national league after a 30-year absence. The club was playing on grass surfaces at Stoneham Lane the last time they rubbed shoulders with the country's elite stickmen.
Trojans sank as low as the Hampshire League before beginning its gradual climb towards the Western Conference next term.
Ben Frost, who has been playing for Trojans since he was 15 years of age, has scored on 22 occasions, one less than lead marksman Oakley Sparsholt Thompson.
Back (from left): Paul Oakley, Chris Pearl, Oakley Sparshott Thompson, Ewan Bagwell, Will Hart, Richard Aves, Finley Scott, Richard Roberts, 
Front: Theo Beech, Khai-Rien Wong, Toby Roberts, Ben Frost, Sam MacKenzie, Will Strange, Giles Hocking.​

Chris Davey climaxed a stunning late Fareham comeback with a stoppage time winner which secured a dramatic 3-2 win at England Hockey West Conference rivals Team Bath.
Fareham were trailing 2-0 into the third quarter, but turned the match on its head with a double strike by New Zealander Karl Wallace and Davey's last gasp winner.
It was only Fareham's fourth win in 12 matches, but one that has created a five-point cushion between themselves and the bottom pair, Isca and Exeter University.
Prospects didn't, however, look bright for Fareham after a penalty stroke by Henry Swan was improved by Alex Renwick's second goal to put Bath 2-0 up.
It took a stunning goalkeeping save by Finn Lacey to spark the Fareham fightback, which Kiwi Wallace launched with two goals in nine minutes to level the scores.  Davey climaxed the comeback with his stoppage time winner.

Chichester extended their winning start to the second phase of the England Hockey West Conference programme with a comfortable 5-0 victory over Bristol University. 
It left them four points behind leaders Clifton Robinson, whose visit to the college on March 22 could decide the championship.
That, though, will depend on Chichester winning all six of their remaining games and Clifton spilling a point or two during the run in, as they did in a 1-1 draw against Cardiff & Met.
Chichester struck two early goals through Ben Parham and Josh Steel to settle any nerves against the Bristol students.
A third goal five minutes into the second half by Elliott Scott effectively ended any prospect of a Bristol comeback.
A fourth goal by Rob Forrest and a penalty stroke conversion by  Luke Emmett completed the scoring. 

Table topping Trojans appear on course to win England Hockey's South Central Division after a maximum 36-point return from their 12 matches.
They went into the winter break with an eight-point lead over Staines and nine over third placed Bournemouth.
They have notched 59 goals so far, scoring six (goals) or more times, the latest 6-1 in the Winchester derby at Kings'.
Giles Hocking scored four of Trojans goals, with Ben Frost converting two first half penalty corners.
Will Leyland replied for Winchester, who twice had Ben Hibberd sin binned.  Oakley Sparshott-Thompson saw red for Trojans.

Chichester trail leaders Clifton Robinsons by four points on the eve of the South Hockey League winter break having been held to 2-2 draws in their last three games.
Team Bath, Clifton and last weekend Cardiff & Met all held Chichester to draws in recent weeks.
But Chi appear to have a great opportunity to get back to winning ways when they visit Fareham on Saturday (1.30), the Hampshire club having leaked 14 goals in losing their last three matches.
They thrashed Fareham 9-1 in their opening match.
Chi twice came from to halt Cardiff, the visitors being reduced to nine men  in the closing stages after goals by Elliott Scot and Oscar Pacey had levelled things up.
Clifton, meanwhile, slammed Ashmoor 7-1.

​A sequence of three heavy defeats, culminating in 14 goals being conceded, has plunged Fareham into deep England Hockey West Conference relegation trouble.
A crushing 7-2 defeat by fellow strugglers Exeter University has left them two points above the drop zone approaching the mid-point of the season and a two-month break.
Promotion chasing Chichester visit Henry Cort on Saturday, 1.30pm.
Fareham made a promising start in the west country and led by a seventh minute Hayden Cox goal.
But the Exeter students scored three times in quick succession, twice from penalty cornhers, before stretching their lead to 4-1 by half-time.
A fifth Exeter goal effectively settled it before Oli Pemble grabbed a second for Fareham, who leaked two more goals before the final whistle. 

Chichester lost top spot in England Hockey's West conference when they were held 2-2 at Team Bath, but have an immediate opportunity to regain their position on Sunday lunchtime.
Oscar Pacey converted two penalty corners, the second to set up an exciting finish, to salvage a point, but Clifton Robinsons won 4-0 at Fareham to seize first place.
Isaac Hocking was Clifton's hat-trick hero, his opening goal coming inside 90 seconds.  Jamie Greenwood completed the Clifton scoring, while Oli Pemble wasted a late penalty stroke by hitting the post.

Havant have their first South League point on the board after a 3-3 draw with Richmond, who clawed back a two-goal deficit with a second half brace.
Winchester raised Harry Trussler (left) put Richmond ahead only to see giant Ukrainian  Viacheslav Pazick level from a penalty corner. 
Two goals in three minutes by Rory Jack and George Davey put Havant 3-1 up, only for Scott Wall to convert a penalty stroke and Matt Leigh equalise three minutes from time. 

Trojans are five points clear at the top of South Central after a 7-0 demolition of South Berkshire, with whom they contested the early season leadership.An early Giles Hocking stroke gave Trojans a perfect start before Khai-Ren Wong (20) sparked three goals in seven minutes.  Ben Frost got the third before Chris Pearl struck either side of half-time.
Oakley Sparshott-Thompson scored twice in a minute to make it 7-0.

​Outplayed for large chunks of the opening session, Fareham regrouped to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 victory over West Conference rivals Isca at Henry Cort.
Ben Randell got Fareham on the scoresheet in the 25th minutes, but by then South African playmakers Jad and Jos Smith had scored twice for the Exeter club and were generally running the show.   
But Kieran Page's [left] equalising strike four minutes before the half-time break turned the match on its head.
Kiwi Tom Grant converted a penalty corner to give Fareham a 3-2 lead which Chris Tagg repeated late on to make it 4-2. 
The win will give Fareham confidence ahead of Sunday's lunchtime match against Clifton Robinsons, who share the West leaderboard with 14 points alongside Chichester.
Three unanswered first half goals paved the way to Chichester's 4-0 win over Ashmoor, the result  keeping the West Sussex club top of England Hockey's West Conference.
Luke Emmett's seventh minute penalty stroke  gave Chichester an early lead, which Tom Hayes and Matty Bell extended before half-time.  Alex Baxter completed the scoring.

Chichester scored twice in the closing five minutes against Isca in Exeter to maintain their unbeaten West Conference record.
​They trailed the Devon side 3-1 but were rescued by Harry O'Reilly and Robert Forrest whose late goals secured a 3-3 draw.  Luke Emmett earlier fired Chichester ahead from a penalty stroke. 
Fareham's bid for a third straight win floundered with a 3-1 defeat at promoted Marlow, last season's South Premier winners.
Marlow led 2-0 soon after half-time when Chris Davey cut their lead, but the Buckinghamshire side scored the all important third goal.