West of England & S Wales Hockey League starts
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- Created on Saturday, 30 September 2017 12:00
- Last Updated on Sunday, 01 October 2017 11:40
- Published on Saturday, 30 September 2017 12:00
The 2017-18 West of England & South Wales Hockey League season starts today - and we are as excited as players and officials.
With national and women’s regional hockey leagues already underway, the men’s regional competition now gets going.
That means 120 competitive men’s hockey matches this weekend – Ashmoor host City of Bath in the Championship tomorrow at Totnes – which is a whole lot of hockey.
Add in 128 West Clubs Women’s Hockey League matches and you can start to imagine how many teams of umpires are required to be on their toes (and whistles) today.
Hockey is booming!
Winning promotion to the England Hockey League is the top prize for the region's top team.
There will be few harder league contests than this season’s Premiership competition as Bristol University and cross-city rivals Firebrands will be anxious to bounce back to the EHL at the first attempt.
Cardiff University will also be among this season’s pre-season favourites after finishing runners-up, albeit by 14 points, to promoted champions Clifton Robinsons last term.
Plymouth Marjon – fourth placed last season - will fancy their chances after re-recruiting player-coach Simon Fenwick, a prolific scorer in his previous spell at the club when they enjoyed national league status.
Both newly promoted Championship sides face tough opening days.
Championship champions Westbury & United Banks start their first Premiership season at Cardiff University while Wotton-under-Edge, runners-up to Westbury, face an even tougher examination on their top flight debut, at Bristol University.
And what would an opening day be without a top flight derby? Cardiff & Met host cross-city rivals Whitchurch at UWIC.
With 240 teams vying for promotion from 22 divisions it promises to be another cracking West of England & South Wales Hockey League season…
Like we said, we can’t wait for the season to start!
Premiership opening fixtures today
Bristol University vs Wotton-under-Edge 1500
Cardiff & Met A vs Whitchurch 1330
Cardiff University vs Westbury & United Banks 1330
Firebrands vs University of Exeter A 1430
Plymouth Marjon vs Truro 1300
Taunton Vale vs Team Bath Buccs A 1330
This weekend's full fixtures list
Clifton Robinsons team to beat West Clubs Womens Hockey League season preview
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