AFTER successive drawn games, Penarth Hockey Club 1st XI were keen to take as much as they could from a meeting with mid-table Devizes, and duly led the way on another weekend of mixed results in the GoCrea8 league.

Penarth 7 - Devizes 1

Penarth’s 1st XI welcomed Devizes to Stanwell School following back-to-back draws against top-of-the-table opposition, at two weeks this was the longest run without a victory for the Vale side in more than a year.

As a result, the Bears were determined to get themselves back into the habit of collecting three points rather than one in Conference North, and this resolve was evident within the first five minutes, as Andrew Willemite claimed his first league goal for the club following good work from Chris Baker on the right side of midfield.

Clearly liking the feeling he got from his opener, Willemite duly doubled his tally just minutes later, this time after a series of intricate passes around the Devizes 'D' between Joe Thomas, Ben Croxall and Phil Lane.

With tails firmly up, Penarth continued to apply pressure to their West Country visitors and quickly found themselves 3 - 0 up with the clock still showing fewer than 20 minutes of action as Usman Dhami fired the ball inside the goalkeeper's near post after a penalty corner.

Meanwhile, any attempts by Devizes to turn the game around were thwarted by a strong defensive performance, as captain Tom Haran, Richard John, Mark Thomas and Marcus Powell consistently beat their opponents to the ball and effortlessly turned defence into attack.

Last season's top goalscorer, Laith El-Khatib, has some work to do if he is to retain his crown after a late start to 2016-17, but opened his account with Penarth's fourth, before Croxall found the back of the net in the only manner he is familiar with this year, from the penalty spot.

That brace sent Penarth into half-time with a commanding 5 - 0 lead but, after a quiet first period, goalkeeper Adam Putt was called on more frequently after the break and made a number of good saves to keep Devizes at bay. The visitors did manage to get themselves on the board after 50 minutes via a penalty stroke of their own, but this only spurred Penarth on to greater heights, and forwards Lane, Willemite and Jack Jopson continued to test the opposing 'keeper.

In the end, it was Willemite who added to his rapidly burgeoning tally with a further two goals to bring the final score to 7 - 1, capping an impressive team display by the Bears.

Goalscorers: Andrew Willemite (4), Usman Dhami, Ben Croxall (pen), Laith El-Khatib

Cardiff University B 3 - Penarth A 1

Penarth’s draw against league leaders Swansea two weekends ago allowed Cardiff University to leapfrog the second city side and assume top spot in De Cymru 1, meaning Penarth’s difficult start to the season continued against another side occupying the frontrunning role in the division.

The students had made an impressive start to the season, with three wins from three, so Penarth travelled to Tal-y-bont expecting a hard game but remaining optimistic that they could take something from the encounter to continue building on their own solid – if unspectacular – first few games.

It was the visitors who started best, creating several good chances in the opening exchanges, only to see them kept out by an excellent Cardiff 'keeper, and the longer the frustration went on, the more the University began to dominate. Pressing Penarth hard forced the Bears back further into their own half, and it wasn’t too long before the pressure paid off as the student side took the lead midway through the first half. They then doubled their advantage shortly after with a fantastic goal on the break, but Penarth did not let the setback rattle them and continued to create chances.

Some excellent work by the Penarth defence set up several counter-attacks, only for David Joyce to find the Cardiff stopper in inspired form, but it was the forward who eventually got the Bears back into the game, beating the ‘keeper just before half-time after a pinpoint pass from Andrew Hornby.

The second half continued in much the same form as the first, with Cardiff dominating and the Bears keeping them at bay. While Penarth centre backs Craig Llewellyn and Jamie Davison repelled waves of Cardiff pressure, goalkeeper Simon Comfort proved up to the task on the occasions they were outnumbered, but the visitors struggled to build prolonged periods of possession, despite still looking dangerous on the counter.

Cardiff were quick to snuff out any surprise attacks, often committing cynical fouls in midfield in the process - think Italy versus Belgium from the Euros minus the yellow cards – and it was Penarth who were first reduced to 10 men after voicing anger at the lack of proper punishment for the continued fouls.

Cardiff capitalised on the uneven numbers by burying a drag flick with 10 minutes to go and, although Penarth pushed to get back into the game as a succession of penalty corners allowed Joyce to continue his duel with the Cardiff ‘keeper, it was the latter who came out on top to ensure the game ended 3 - 1 in the students’ favour.

Goalscorers: David Joyce

Gwent B 2 - Penarth B 3

A strong Penarth third string travelled to Malpas to take on a Gwent side which had soundly beaten the club's C team the previous week but, with 2nd XI regular Steve Davis joining Matt Birch and Dave Watkins to form a potent attack, the skipper was confident his side would prove too hot for the hosts to handle.

That optimism appeared misplaced as the home team started the better, and Penarth, missing the calming influence of Rob Harrison, proved sloppy in possession, allowing their significantly younger opponents to take an early lead with a fine goal that gave goalkeeper Jason Harris no chance.

During this early period, Harris needed all his experience to prevent Gwent extending their lead before the feisty Nathan Townsend managed to get a grip in midfield and the tide began to turn. Calm and disciplined defending from James Davies and the returning Richard Bromiley was then a key feature of a first half which saw the usually deadly Watkins waste several chances to open his account.

After the break, the match took on a very different tone with Mark Robinson and Townsend completely dominating the middle of the pitch. This contributed to two fine individual goals by skipper Watkins to atone for his earlier profligacy, sandwiching a superb penalty corner strike by Simon Wilkinson which gave the visitors a commanding two-goal lead with time running out.

Although some sloppy play allowed Gwent to reduce the deficit and set-up a tense last few minutes, there were no further alarms for Penarth, who ran out deserved winners in a key game for the promotion ambitions.

Goalscorers: Dave Watkins (2), Simon Wilkinson

Swansea City C 7 - Penarth C 0

The recently-reformed 4th XI was also in De Cymru 3 action, travelling west to renew the rivalry with Swansea already propagated by the senior sides the previous weekend.

Despite again missing skipper Nick Pratt, who was called upon to umpire the game, as well as several other senior players, the C-siders were only 1 - 0 down at the interval and proving good competition for their experienced opponents.

However, playing with a bare 11-man squad against a Swansea side fielding five substitutes was always going to take its toll on Penarth and, with injuries biting after the break, it was the home side who pulled away, adding to their lead at regular intervals throughout the second period despite best efforts of man-of-the-match Luke Williams, who was playing his first ever game of hockey in the pads and kickers.

All four Penarth sides will be in action this weekend, with the 1st XI taking on local rivals Whitchurch A in the capital, while the 2nds need an improved performance if they are to keep realistic promotion hopes alive as they face Gwent A at Stanwell (1.45pm start). The 3rd and 4th XIs, meanwhile, play out the first of several league derbies (noon start) ahead of the 2nds’ game, ensuring a full afternoon of hockey on home turf.

Penarth Hockey Club always welcomes new, old and returning players, umpires, supporters, friends and helpers regardless of age and ability. Training takes place on Wednesdays at Stanwell School, with the juniors on the pitch between 6.15pm and 7.15pm and the seniors between 7pm and 8.15pm.

Anyone interested in joining the club at senior or youth level can contact club secretary Dave Stevens (d_stevens81@hotmail.co.uk) for further information.