WORCESTER Women made a great start to the Midlands Hockey League Premier Division campaign with a 3-0 win at Loughborough Students Seconds.

With a strong defence and midfield, four new under 17s players gave the team added pace and variety.

Worcester held their own in the first-half with the pace of Helen Reeves providing crosses from the right wing.

University hockey scholar Sophie Stock played well in a goalless first period.

The visitors went ahead eight minutes into the second period through debutant Sade Gerald after a penalty-corner shot fell to her.

Reeves cracked home a second following a 30-metre Stock pass and Hattie Lloyd completed the scoring from a penalty corner.

Keeper Issy Davies, on her debut for Worcester, was not busy but performed well.

The thirds defeated the fourths 5-0 in their Worcestershire League Division Three opener.

All the goals were scored in a dominant first-half before the fourths tightened up at the back and pushed up more with Ellie Pardoe their player-of-the-match.

Worcester Men completed a fine pre-season with an 8-0 home win over Nottingham-based Players.

The hosts controlled the play from the first whistle, particularly through defenders Rob Riddell and James Cosh.

Worcester broke through on 20 minutes through Steve Grant’s close-range finish.

Skipper Jon Sprague doubled the lead just before the interval from Steve Howard’s pass.

After a strong half-time teamtalk, winger Oli Parker sparked into action with a superb hat-trick within five minutes of the restart.

The one-way traffic continued with Grant and Sprague both grabbing their second goals before Howard finally got on the scoresheet.

Worcester open their BodyKraft Midlands Division One season at Stone on Saturday.

The thirds warmed up for the league with some exciting hockey in a 4-3 defeat to rivals Stourport Thirds.

Worcester were 2-1 down at half-time but the second period was a more open, counter-attacking affair.

Matt Hooper and Bryan Crump were among the scorers for the city side.

Worcester Fourths lost 5-0 to rivals Stourport Fifths although the game was more even than the scoreline suggests.

Stourport were more clinical in front of goal and benefited from experienced players who dominated their defence.

Worcester held the Wyre Forest side to just one goal until the final 15 minutes when they scored four more.

The fifths continued their good form with a 5-1 victory over Stourport Sixths.

In the first-half, Andy Taylor robbed a defender for the opening goal and a Yorkie Senior screamer put them 2-0 up.

Stourport pulled a goal back in the second-half but Worcester regained control.

A short-corner one-two led to a Paul Sharratt goal set up by Gerry Ogle, Taylor finished off a fine move and then a Simon Tinley tap-in ended the contest.

Worcester Sixths won 3-1 at Stourport Sevenths with Christian Holden and Adrian Shipley putting them two goals ahead.

Stourport fought back with a well-worked short corner shortly before half-time.

Worcester upped their game to score again through Ollie Bradley.

In a trial match to select the final teams for the season, Worcester Badgers Pippins saw off the Potters 6-5.

The Pippins played better as a team with Ben Cooke and Robert Wilkes scoring two each to give them a 4-2 interval lead.

Dan Ferrier and Zach Dunn replied.

Potters improved in the second period and levelled through Dunn and the persistent Owen Taylor.

In a frantic last 15 minutes, Cooke scored two more to put Pippins 6-4 ahead before Taylor’s late tap-in increased the tension.