The men's first team at Welwyn Garden City Hockey Club returned to action after the festive break but fell to defeat in a high scoring game at Letchworth.

The garden city derby had originally been scheduled for before Christmas but postponed due to a frozen pitch.

And it was the home side who came out on top in the East League Division Two South West game, winning 6-3.

The game started with good composure on the ball by Welwyn and they created a few opportunities early on.

Letchworth's youthful side also looked dangerous in possession and it was they who took the lead on 10 minutes, attacking down the right before a pass inside was forced home on the stretch beyond the onrushing Dan Klinger in the Welwyn goal.

But five minutes later and WGC were level.

Nate Last won a penalty corner which and when that was slipped left by Pete Mullens, Bryn Evans supplied the finish with a lifted effort over the diving keeper.

The visitors continued to play some good hockey with Max Davies and Paul Marchant working hard, but they could not find the final pass when it mattered.

Letchworth managed to win several penalty corners and although Welwyn defended well, the home side were having one of those days where most things they tried in the D came off.

Two set-pieces were scored to leave the hosts 3-1 up at the break.

Welwyn still felt positive and knew that they still carried a threat, particularly through the hard running and desire shown by Will Brady and Dan White.

But Letchworth kept pushing after half-time too, overloading the midfield and finding the space to cause more problems.

They extended their advantage early with a neat first time finish and they kept the defence of Rob Sansom, Fowler, Mullens and Stephens working hard for the rest of the contest.

But WGC did get one back from Brady, pouncing after strong running from Nate Last and Davies created an opening.

It lifted hopes among those in blue and they began sending aerial passes forward via Evans and composed distribution though Nick Reilly.

They did have one Achilles' heel though and that was penalty corners.

Two more Letchworth goals followed from that very source and although Welwyn pulled one back through Mullens, dispatched into the bottom right of the goal, it was too little, too late.

Ninth-placed WGC now face a trip to Royston on Saturday, the side directly below them in the table.

There wasn't much in the way of joy elsewhere in the club either.

Only the men's third team won of the five matches played, a 3-2 success away to Letchworth fourths that moves them to fourth in Division Five.

The seconds managed to get a draw, 2-2 at Rickmansworth in Division Four, moving them one point above the bottom two.

Both the first and second teams in the women's section lost.

The ones went down narrowly at Blueharts, losing 1-0 in Division Two, but the seconds were comfortably beaten 4-0 at the Hitchin club.