HOCKEY: Stourport men's firsts made a disappointing start to their National Hockey League Division One programme when they lost 3-0 at relegated Bournville.
The town slipped to three second-half goals and were the only team not to score a goal in the division.
Bournville's much-changed team's extra pace and penetration in attack proved too much for the Worcestershire side.
Stourport shuffled a 12-man pack in midfield and up front but rarely created any real chances and the first half was largely uneventful.
It took over 20 minutes before the first shot of the match from Bournville went past the post and they missed a good chance later in the period.
Near half-time, Stourport earned a short corner but Jones' well-struck shot was saved.
Stourport could have paid for giving the ball away in the danger area but Bournville missed the target from the penalty spot.
Martin Lindley earned a temporary suspension at half-time so a 10-man Stourport side began the second half.
Stourport had a chance to score after good work by Tanna but the home side began to exert more pressure.
Simkin had to make several saves in goal, while Jones was also impressive in defence.
But, with less than 20 minutes to go, Bournville took the lead through Martin Oates who passed the ball into an empty goal.
Seven minutes later, Simon McCollum added the second, sending a penalty stroke into the roof of the net.
Stourport then earned a short corner which was saved and two fine passes from Ward nearly created a goal for them.
But it was Bournville who ended the scoring from an open-play move, finished off by Dan Pech on 70 minutes.
Stourport: Simkin, Lindley, Ward, John, Jones, Cooper, Tanna, Willicombe, De Souza, Westhead, El Khabib. Sub used: Edwards. Not used: Evans, Pocknall, Tomlinson.
Stourport have been drawn at home to Nottingham in round three of the English Hockey Association Men's Cup on November 4.
Meanwhile, the other Stourport men's teams had mixed fortunes.
The seconds were beaten 7-3 at home by Loughborough Students and the students beat the thirds 1-0 on their patch.
There were victories for the fourths, who beat their own fifths 5-0, and the sixths.
They beat Old Silhillians fourths at home 4-3, while the Badgers, also at home, won 3-0 over Evesham.
Despite creating the better chances, Stourport Ladies missed out on the points at Bournville seconds in a 1-0 defeat.
They failed to take their chances, missing two open goals early on.
But they were rarely troubled and goalkeeper Sarah Dyde was redundant throughout the first half.
Stourport continued to dominate but could not hit the target, missing another three open goals.
Bournville snatched the points following a short corner 15 minutes from time.
The ladies' seconds captain Teri Baron became their leading scorer.
Baron grabbed a hat-trick as she led her team to a 6-1 home victory over Kidderminster in a Worcestershire Division Two match.
Baron gave Stourport their 1-0 half-time lead but it was in the second half when the visiting defence fell apart.
Andra Hughes, Kim Whitehouse and Rosie Williams were the other Stourport scorers.
A first half collapse by the ladies' thirds sealed their fate and their visitors Bournville won 6-0.
The Birmingham side scored five goals in a disastrous first half for Stourport.
But the hosts were steadier in the second half and marked better with debut-making Nikta Sadler making good saves in goal.
Fixtures, Saturday, Men: 2nds v Bournville, Bournville v 3rds, 4ths v Bournville, Harborne 4ths v 5ths, Kings Heath 5ths v 6ths, Droitwich v Badgers. Ladies: Dudley v 2nds.
Fixture, Sunday: 1sts v Beeston (2pm).
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