WITHAM 5 SAFFRON WALDEN 1 NE14Hockey East Men's League division one south east WITHAM continued their resurgence with a comfortable win over a talented young Saffron Waldon side.

The first goal of man-of-the-match Matt Cooper's brace set the tone as he latched on to Tom Wilsher's pin-point set piece delivery to deflect home from close range.

Witham extended their lead shortly afterwards as Paul Bellehewe showed a great turn of speed to split the visiting defence wide open and slot home.

Saffron Walden pulled a goal back after some sloppy defending but Gareth Owen struck form a short corner to restore Witham's two-goal cushion.

Wilsher notched his side's fourth of the day to kill off Saffron Walden's comeback hopes, before Cooper rolled the ball in for their fifth and final goal.

WITHAM 2 THURROCK II 1 Essex Women's League division one WITHAM should have wrapped up this match in the first half thanks to two goals from Hannah Cagney.

However, Thurrock fought back well and in the end Witham were thankful to secure another win.

Player-of-the-match Cathy Barber's superb tackling was the main reason for Thurrock's inability to improve on their score.

In the second half Witham won a string of short corners that should have been converted and given them a comfortable win.

But Cagney's two first-half strikes were all they could muster.