by Mike Vimpany

Trojans celebrated their first win since beating Winchester 4-2 in early December when they spanked South Premier League Division 2 rivals Lewes 6-2 at Stoneham Lane.

They had been glancing over their shoulders towards the lower echelons of the table after that barren run.

But two goals each by Sinoxolo Mbekeni and Dave McNee, plus singles from Sam Broadhurst and Ben Cole eased anxieties.

Confidence restored, Trojans cashed in with a 10-0 win over Gloucester City – a victory that has put them into the last eight of the England Hockey Trophy (which they won in 2005) and a home tie with Gore Court on League Cup final day, February 26.

Daily Echo:

Action from Trojans ladies' defeat against Stourport

Three Stourport goals in a devastating eight-minute first half period pointed Trojans Ladies to a 6-1 defeat when the England Women’s League Western Conference programme resumed after its winter break.

Stourport slammed Trojans 7-0 in the West Midlands earlier in the season and with the visitors topping the table, the result was no real surprise.

The visitors, who are vying with Buckingham for the title, swept Trojans aside with a three-goal burst from Lora Symonds, Claire Pearson and Sarah Parkinson-Mills.

Emma Teague clawed a goal back for Trojans from a penalty corner, but within minutes Parkinson-Mills had scored again to give Stourport a healthy 4-1 interval lead.

Trojans got more of a foothold in the game but were caught on the break with Heidi Davey scoring Stourport’s fifth.

Pearson struck on the hour to complete the scoring.

Trojans Ladies 2nds scored twice in each half to secure a 4-1 win over Wimbledon – their eighth successive South Women’s League victory.

It kept them in third spot and in close contact with top two Surbiton and East Grinstead, who they play in their final matches next month.

Sluggish at the outset, Trojans scored twice in quick succession through Jo Slade, who converted a penalty corner and then doubled the score with a neat deflection.

Trojans bagged two more goals after the break, Jess Hirst scoring her first of the season and then Kat Perch making it 4-0 before Wimbledon converted a last minute penalty.

Two down inside nine minutes, fading Fareham lost 4-1 at table toppers Surbiton, who were 3-0 up before Rebecca Reavell replied.

Any hopes of Fareham building on an encouraging second half performance were dashed when Surbiton scored their fourth.

A 2-2 draw with Eastbourne means it’s now ten matches since Southampton have won.

But that barren sequence should end when Sue Merry’s side go to winless Worthing on Saturday, the Sussex side having lost all of its games so far.

Merry herself gave Southampton an early lead at The Saffrons, but Southampton trailed 2-1 until Natalie Romain equalised on the dying embers.