WORCESTER Hockey Club men’s first team gained a valuable Midlands League Division One point at previous leaders University of Nottingham seconds.

The visitors started positively with Matt Gardner and Dom Sullivan linking well and earning a penalty corner early on.

Worcester kept battling against a fit, fast squad of 16 but there was little in the way of goalmouth action.

The second period saw more concerted attacking but despite this and with solid defending from both teams, including goal-line clearances, the game remained goalless.

The away point kept Worcester out of the bottom two.

Worcester men’s seconds lost an end-to-end game 5-3 to Redditch and the thirds fell 4-2 in a feisty encounter with unbeaten leaders Birmingham University.

The fourth XI continued their unbeaten start to the season by beating Redditch 4-1.

Ollie Betteridge scored the first followed by an Andy Griffin brace.

A passing move between Ollie Davies and skipper Nat Garfield saw Betteridge score his second to keep Worcester joint top of the table.

A much-depleted fifth XI lost 6-0 at Edgbaston despite a valiant effort and the sixths lost to Edgbaston by the same scoreline.

There were no women’s or juniors fixtures due to the half-term break but there is a full fixture list this weekend.

The men’s over 50s play in the National Masters Cup on Sunday at Nunnery Wood Sports Complex (12.30pm).