ALDERLEY Edge Hockey Club women’s second team got their season off to a flying start on Saturday with a 3-1 victory over Chester’s seconds.

Edge took the lead with a scruffy goal from Jude Offer, who flung herself at the ball to divert Nicola Hall’s shot home.

The visitors drew level before the break, but Edge stepped up their game after the interval.

Nic Hall put the hosts back in front 10 minutes after the break before Izzy Mowatt gave them further breathing space 15 minutes from time.

The women’s thirds went down 3-1 to Northop Hall, while Emma Fluck’s hat-trick could not stop the fourths from losing 7-3 at Triton.

The fifths drew 1-1 with Winnington Park’s seconds and a young sixth team lost 4-2 at Sandbach’s firsts.

Ahead of their league opener against Didsbury Northern, the men’s firsts set themselves a big challenge with two friendlies against National League sides.

The first of those games saw them lose 5-1 to Deeside, with Sam Gregory netting Edge’s goal.

Their next match saw them draw 4-4 with Leek as Angus McCormick, James Warburton, Sam Buckingham and Rob Trem hit the target.

The men’s seconds came away from Bowdon with an impressive 6-1 victory, with goals shared between Simeon Mellor, Matt Hardy, Joe Coxon, Matt Cresey and Chris Hardy.

The thirds posted a comfortable 4-1 win over Bowdon’s fourths, while the fourths had seven different goalscorers in a 7-1 over the same club’s fifth team.

Harry Oakes, Tom Curran, James Parkin, Rory Savin, Andrew Jordan, Josh Benton and Ed Offer all hit the target for Edge.