In the third year of local involvement with the England Hockey Championships, home draws provide three exciting games this Saturday.
A couple more are taking place in Liverpool.
On Sunday, Ramsey Crookall Bacchas A men’s side travel over to Merseyside to take on West Derby, who are currently lying third in Men’s North Hockey League West Division Two.
West Derby lost out in a close 11-goal thriller last week, so they certainly know how to score goals.
Having defeated Kendal 6-0 in the previous round in Cumbria, Canaccord Genuity Vikings Men’s A take on Southport at the NSC on Saturday.
Currently riding high at the top of North West Premier League, with an impressive 10 wins so far this season, Southport will be full of confidence.
Despite a home draw, travel difficulties mean that LJ Ramsey men are playing their home fixture against University of Nottingham men’s fifth XI at Wyncote Hockey Centre in Liverpool on Saturday.
Last season the side won the EH Tier 4 Championship and, being a university team, should be fit and full of running.
Women’s Championships
After a narrow victory against Alderley Edge to reach the second round, Canaccord Genuity Vikings Women’s A play Formby 1st XI who play in the North Hockey League West Division Two.
Formby are currently in a run of low-scoring draws so Vikings will be hoping to hit the ground running and secure victory to progress to the next round.
The luck of the draw means that the Isle of Man team will be represented by at least one side in the next round of the Tier 3 competition.
West Coast Fitness Valkyrs A are playing LJ Ramsey A at QEII on Saturday in a game that will also provide a warm-up for the domestic women’s leagues starting in the New Year.
It should be a closely-contested cup tie with local support for both teams.
Rossborough Mixed
Under-16 League
In the final under-16 game of the pre-Christmas league, a draw would ensure West Coast Fitness Valkyrs retain the title.
But Saracens will be hoping to spoil the party for Valkyrs and end their own season on a high.
After Christmas a couple of teams drop out to support their senior teams so it will be a reduced league, but there’s still plenty of action for the younger players and opportunities for newly-qualified umpires to gain experience.
FULL REPORTS IN NEXT
TUESDAY’S EDITION OF THE
ISLE OF MAN EXAMINER