Whitchurch returned to competitive hockey, and to winning ways, beating Deeside Ramblers Men’s fifths 7-0 in the newly formed, pandemic-enforced Cheshire West Two League.

After some persistent rain in the morning, the sun came out and provided a perfect setting for a resumption of the interrupted season.

Whitchurch were able to field a full strength team with the Wales based players available again, and did so – for the first two minutes before Sam Budd picked up a game-ending injury after rolling his ankle during an early attack.

Whitchurch applied themselves well against a Deeside team that was a mixture of youth and speed up front and experience at the back.

The Deeside keeper had another excellent game making a number of superb saves, but it was was going to be the Reds’ day, and it started with good control, keeping the ball and driving down the right time and again.

There could have been more goals, but this was an impressive return to hockey for Whitchurch, again thanks to the depth and strength of the squad, and putting into games the routines and skills learned during training sessions.

Player of the match was, again, Joe Coburn – his goal was typical of his play throughout the game.