ALTON Hockey Club launched the season with with Club Day, part of England Hockey’s ‘Hockeyfest’.

The annual event, held at Amery Hill School, marks the end of summer and the start of the winter season for the club and involves members of all ages, both junior and senior.

This year, Alton’s special guest was GB international Liam Sanford, hot off Great Britain men’s success at the Euro Championships in Amsterdam where they won bronze.

The first hour of the day was dedicated to juniors who had never tried hockey before. Encouragingly, 25 new players turned up to give it a go. The rest of the morning was for the club’s junior members who played matches and competed to shoot through the specially designed net, while also chatting with Liam Sanford.

A mixed tournament for adults followed in the afternoon. The day was a great success and the club could not have hoped for a better start to the season.

League games are already underway for the ladies and juniors and the men start this Saturday.

For more information about Alton Hockey Club, email altonhockeyclub@ gmail.com or visit the website www. altonhockeyclub.co.uk

The next big event for the club is the ‘Final Push for a Pitch’ day which will raise money towards a new astroturf surface.

• Alton men warmed up for the coming league campaign with a 6-0 win over Andover II in an away friendly fixture. Captain Nigel Downing got the ball rolling with Alton’s first goal and Richard Spicer added a second before half-time.

Pete Harvey, James Goulding-Stewart (2) and Harry Curtis were on target in the second half as the boys from Amery Hill enjoyed a good day out.

Hockey Fixtures

Saturday, September 30

Hampshire/Surrey Regional 1

Basingstoke v Haslemere

Hampshire 1

City of Ptsmth v Aldershot & F

Hampshire 2

Sandown & S v Alresford

Haslemere II v Trojans II

Hampshire 2

Alton v Basingstoke II

Petersfield v Chichester III

Hampshire 3

Aldershot & F II v City of P II

Andover II v Haslemere III

Hampshire 4

Bournemth IV v Ald’shot & F III

Portsmouth & S v Fleet & E

South Women’s League:

Div 3B

Teddington II v Aldershot & F

Hampshire Women’s League: Div I

Haslemere v Winchester

Div 2

Alton v Gosport Borough

Fleet & E v Aldershot & F II

Southampton U v Haslemere II

Div 3

Haslemere III v Waterside

Romsey II v Petersfield