HELENSBURGH Hockey Club’s first team continued their strong start to the season with a 6-0 thrashing of Irvine at the weekend.

Despite last week’s 8-0 drubbing of Kelburne, there were some doubts for the Helensburgh first team ahead of their tie, with their captain, goalkeeper and vice captain unavailable.

The first half of the game was fairly even as both teams fought for possession. Helensburgh’s back line took a while to adjust and goalkeeper McGregor was forced into some early saves.

At the other end Burgh were managing to find plenty of short corners, but they were struggling to convert.

However the breakthrough finally came when Black played a neat ball into Cox, who slotted the ball home to give the home side the lead at half-time.

In the second half Burgh were pressing Irvine high up the pitch and stealing the ball, which was working well.

Dayle Hartopp went on a mazy run down the left wing – nipping inside the wing back before beating three players along the by-line and slotting the ball past the flabbergasted goalkeeper.

West and Gordon Black were dominating the midfield now, and setting up Helensburgh for many attacks. Gavin MacKenzie got Helensburgh’s third goal after deftly lifting it over the oncoming keeper, and then slotting the ball home into an open goal.

Hartopp then added his second of the game, with a short corner finally coming off. A simple stop at the top of the D was hit home by Hartopp.

He then secured his hat-trick after another short corner. The initial shot was saved by the Irvine keeper before Hartopp controlled the rebound and struck the ball sweetly into the net.

A ball from Brian Kennedy at the back was played out to Black, who turned and sent a lovely through ball to Calum McMenemin, and he in turn beat one defender before playing a defence splitting pass in at the back post where a grateful Jonathan Cox stood to round off the scoring.

First XI team: D. McGregor, B. Kennedy, G. Caulfield, H. Johnson, C. McMenemin, J. West, G. Black, D. Hartopp, G. MacKenzie, J. Gumbrell, J. Cox, N. McKend, G. McWilliam.

* Helensburgh's second XI welcomed top-of-the-table Clydesdale to town and found themselves on the wrong end of a 7-0 scoreline, the loss of five goals in the first half leaving the home team with an impossible job.

2nd XI team: G. Black; M. Payne (capt.); M. Kelly; I. Richardson; D. McGregor; N. McKend; J. Murphy; R. Whittick; T. Harris; B. Cox; A. Dixon; S. Murphy. Thanks to Richard Schooling for umpiring.

* Helensburgh's third XI overcame a sticky start on Saturday to win 4-1 away to a tough Anchor side in Linwood.

After an early defensive mix up, Anchor went ahead and looked to be well in control of the game. However the experience of Richardson and O’Donnell shone through midway through the first half.

After some dogged defending by the two, they set Helensburgh up on the attack – only for a terrible stick tackle on McKelvie, resulting in a short corner for the visitors.

O’Donnell pushed to Richardson, whose shot was slipping past the post, before Bowman dived in to score Burgh’s first.

A second was soon to follow when A. Kelly used his pace to beat a couple of defenders before slipping the ball past the keepers near post.

Helensburgh's third came just on half time as Bowman went toe to toe with the Anchor defender. The Helensburgh man came out on top and smashed the ball past the keeper.

After half time, Helensburgh were happy to hold on to their lead, soaking up plenty of pressure from the home side before countering with Bowman, who picked the ball up in midfield and played it out to A. Kelly, who found Bowman again, in the D, and the experienced striker couldn’t miss, giving him his first hat-trick of the season. It finished 4-1.

3rd XI team: M.Findlay; J.Steel (capt); A.Richardson; E.Howie; G.McCallion; D.O’Donnell; D.Dooley; H.Green; A.Kelly (1); A.Bowman (3); G.McKelvie; M.Kelly. Thanks to Jesse Owens for umpiring.

This Saturday, October 21, the first XI are the only Helensburgh team in action, at home to Glasgow University. Push-back is at 12.15pm at Hermitage Academy - come and watch!