The East Men’s and Women’s Area Sixes took place on Saturday 13 December 2025 at Aldenham School Sports Centre and Culford School Sports Centre respectively, with teams competing not only for area honours but for the opportunity to represent the East Area at England Hockey's Super 6s Division 2 in January.

Men’s Sixes – St Albans secure qualification after intense contest

The men’s competition at Aldenham featured a demanding round-robin format, with seven teams playing across a full day of high-intensity indoor hockey. With only one qualification place available for the National Super 6s, margins were fine throughout and consistency proved crucial.

St Albans set the early pace, opening the tournament in emphatic fashion with a 6–0 win over Saffron Walden, before following up with a comprehensive 5–0 victory against Old Loughtonians. Their sharp attacking play and disciplined structure made them immediate contenders for the qualification place, and they added further wins against Harleston Magpies (2–0) and held Cambridge City to a 2–2 draw.

Ipswich also impressed, combining pace and physicality to secure strong results across the day. They opened with a 4–1 victory over Harleston Magpies and went on to defeat Cambridge City (3–2), St Albans (4–0) and Saffron Walden (5–0), conceding very few chances in the process. Cambridge City themselves produced several eye-catching performances, including a dominant 6–1 win over Saffron Walden and a 5–0 victory against Old Loughtonians. However, despite their strong on-pitch performances, Ipswich and Cambridge City were ineligible to qualify for the National Super 6s, meaning the qualification battle remained open among the remaining sides.

Chelmsford were held to a draw by Old Loughtonians early on but responded well, recording important victories against Cambridge City (3–0), Saffron Walden (3–0) and Harleston Magpies (1–0). A hard-fought draw against Ipswich further strengthened their position.

With qualification still undecided heading into the closing stages, the men’s competition built to a tense finale. Results throughout the day meant that the outcome hinged on the final match of the tournament, with both St Albans and Chelmsford looking to secure top spot among the eligible sides. St Albans delivered a composed and disciplined performance, claiming a 3–0 victory to confirm their qualification place. The result underlined the fine margins of the competition, with the East Area men’s representative not decided until the very last whistle of the day.

Women's Sixes: Cambridge University claim title and qualification

The women’s competition at Culford School Sports Centre followed a round-robin format before bronze and gold medal matches, with the top two sides earning the right to contest the final.

Cambridge University and Ipswich emerged early as the strongest teams. Their opening encounter ended goalless, but Cambridge University responded well, edging past Chelmsford (1–0) and St Albans (1–0) in tightly contested matches before producing a commanding 5–1 victory over Crostyx to finish top of the standings.

Ipswich enjoyed a productive round robin of their own, recording convincing wins against Crostyx (4–1), Chelmsford (2–0) and St Albans (2–0) to secure second place and a spot in the final.

Chelmsford and St Albans met in the bronze medal match following competitive round-robin campaigns. The play-off proved to be one of the most entertaining matches of the day, with both sides trading goals in an end-to-end contest that finished 4–4.

The women’s final proved a fitting conclusion to the day, bringing together the two strongest sides from the round-robin phase. Having drawn 0–0 earlier in the tournament, Cambridge University and Ipswich entered the gold medal match evenly matched, but it was Cambridge who rose to the occasion. Showing composure in possession and clinical finishing in key moments, they gradually pulled clear as the match wore on, eventually securing a 5–2 victory. The result not only crowned them East Area champions but also underlined their ability to perform under pressure, earning them the right to represent the area at the National Super 6s in January.

East Area represented nationally

With St Albans and Cambridge University now confirmed as the East Area’s men’s and women’s representatives, attention turns to January’s National Super 6s, where both teams will test themselves against the leading indoor sides from across England.

The East Area Indoor Sixes once again showcased the depth and quality of indoor hockey across the region, with competitive matches throughout the day and qualification decided only through sustained performance across the full programme.