The long-awaited start of a new and competitive hockey season brought plenty of good results for both St Neots and St Ives.

The ladies' first-team led the way for St Neots with a 2-1 win away to Cambridge University.

Missing some of their key younger players, they went ahead courtesy of a fantastic strike from a short corner by Caz Osbourne.

Sue Glover then made it two before the break and although Cambridge pulled one back in the second half, the defence, spearheaded by player of the match Holly Fraser, kept the students at bay until the final whistle.

The thirds and fourths both won too with the victory over Bourne Deeping for the former being made memorable for a debut for 13-year-old Ella Roberts alongside mum Becky.

The pair combined for one of the goals too with daughter assisting mum while 14-year-old Katie Pye was the team's star on the day.

The fourths beat Wisbech Town 2-1.

The men's first-team were beaten by Peterborough but the seconds and thirds both won 3-1.

Nathan Read and Ian Cunningham got the goals for the twos against Ely while the threes beat Bourne Deeping.

The top teams in the men's and women's section at St Ives both won impressively.

Goals from Vicky Leighton, Jules Griffiths, Abby Scarrow helped the ladies to a 3-0 success against North Norfolk.

Leighton and Griffiths both scored at the back post from a short corner with Griffiths then turning provider on the break as Scarrow wrapped things up. Nicola Dawes took the player of the match award.

The men went one better with a 4-0 win over Cambridge City.

St Ives controlled the game from start to finish with three goals in the first half through David Haslegrave, James Harris and player-coach Adam Wilson.

Harris bagged his second after the break with Si Johnson the man of the match.

Elsewhere there was a 1-0 win for the ladies' fourths against Newmarket, Lesley Read the scorer, while a double from Pete Liddle and one for Alex Grange took the men's seconds to a 3-1 win over Cambridge City.

The biggest win of the day went to the men's fourth team who smashed Cambridge South 7-0.

Richard Corbett, Richard Kellett and Isaac Morgan all scored two with the other goal a penalty flick from John Bowles.