ALL three Helensburgh Hockey Club teams found themselves playing on home turf on Saturday – with the first XI maintaining their impressive start to the season with a 6-2 win over Kelburne, while the second and third teams lost to Oban and Uddingston respectively.

All three teams paid their respects on the day to John Andrews, a founding member and former president of the club, who died at the end of August.

John played more than 400 games for the club, scoring many goals, and captained the first team on more than one occasion. He also drew often on his Navy influence to bring new players to the club, though it’s for his 28 years as honorary president that he will be best remembered.

Home and away teams joined in a minute’s applause in John’s memory, while he will be forever remembered through a new award, the John Andrews Trophy, to the club’s top goalscorer.

The club would like to offer its condolences to John’s family.

The Burgh first team, though unbeaten, had yet to win a game this season – but that was a record they smashed in style with a 6-2 win over Kelburne.

Dayle Hartopp popped up at the back post to slot in the opener from an Alan Stuart shot, and Hartopp added a near carbon copy second within five minutes, this time being picked out by Jonathon Cox.

Kelburne pulled one back from a short corner, but Burgh, pressing high up the pitch, added a third through Cox.

Kelburne made it 3-2 just before the break, but Helensburgh remained in the ascendancy with Cox adding a fourth after a well worked move.

A yellow card to a Kelburne player handed Helensburgh a numerical advantage, and they took their chance, with MacKenzie finding space down the wing and sprinting away to add a fifth – but it was Cox who had the final say, completing his hat-trick with a tasty finish.

Helensburgh: C. Keith; G. McWilliam; (capt.); D. McGregor; R. Heywood; G. Caulfield; B. Kennedy; A. Stuart; D. Hartopp; G. MacKenzie; G. Black; J. Cox (MoM); B. Cox; I. Bowyer; A. Bowman. Thanks to Andy Richardson for umpiring.

The 2nd XI had a tough game against high flying Oban, who dominated the first half and scored from two short corners without reply.

The second half was far more even, but with top scorer Morgan Kelly missing Helensburgh couldn’t find the net, though Murphy, Morris Kelly and Whittick all came close.

Helensburgh: J. Pettit; M. Payne (capt.); R. Park; S. Stewart; I. Richardson; D. O’Donnell; R. Whittick; J. Murphy; M. Kelly; D. LeMay; D. Brennan. Thanks to Dick Schooling for umpiring.

The 3rd XI struggled through a 7-1 defeat to Uddingston. The young side could only manage nine players initially, and made it to 11 only midway through the first half, but there were still notable performances from young stars C. Niblock, B. Hogg and J. Pettit, with an excellent goal from A. Bowman to cap it off.

Team: M. Kelly; D. LeMay; R. Park; J. Pettit; E. Howie; A. Richardson (capt.); C. Niblock; S. Murphy; B. Hogg; G. McCallion; A. Bowman. Thanks to John Friel for umpiring.

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