LEOMINSTER Hockey Club maintained their strong position in second place of the De Cymru & The Marches League by seeing off Cirencester 8-4.

Cirencester, who are bottom of the league, started well but it was Leominster who opened the scoring thanks to Barney Morgan.

Jack Castle and Josh Watkins added two further goals before Cirencester pulled a goal back.

However, Leominster seized the initiative with another excellent goal scored by Watkins before a collision in midfield saw both teams reduced to 10 players; Nicko Evans receiving a yellow card for Leominster.

Leominster made it 5-1 after the break thanks to Ryan Painter, but Cirencester hit back with two unanswered goals.

Evans soon redeemed his earlier yellow card by scoring a brilliantly struck reverse shot before Adam Jones was punished for a shove in the opposition players' back.

With Leominster again reduced to 10 men Cirencester scored, but Leominster sealed the win with goals from Morgan and Painter.

Elsewhere in the division, Hereford are up to eighth after drawing 3-3 with Cleevillians, while second-bottom Ross lost 4-1 at home to Cardiff & Met 4ths.

Presteigne Ladies meanwhile are through to the next round of the Welsh Cup after thrashing Llanfair 7-1.

Jess Goodwin netted a hat-trick, with Meg Crosgrove and Sioned Price scoring two goals each.

While in Severn Division 2 of the West Clubs' Women's League, Ross-on-Wye hammered Colwall & Malvern 8-0.