Hockey: Felix in a timely return

CHELMSFORD and Indian Gymkhana are two Second Division PizzaExpress National League clubs with more than just a passing interest in the ongoing saga of arrivals from India.

Gymkhana's Jude Felix returned on Thursday and will play against Old Kingstonians at Lensbury tomorrow as they keep up the pressure on the leaders, Reading. There is still no news from the third of their current Indian internationals, Dhanraj Pillay, who, it seems, will not be coming back.

Chelmsford, at home to Reading, are expecting Gundeep Kumar to arrive in time for tomorrow's game, and providing he is fit after Thursday's Banks Tournament in Bombay, will include him in their side. But they have no news of their second signing, Balwinder Singh. It seems unlikely that Kumar will be able to put a brake on Reading, who are fast disappearing over the horizon.

Hounslow's visit to Birmingham University tomorrow for their First Division game against Bournville is likely to be a little more routine and predictable than when they return to the same venue at Easter for the European Cup-Winners' Cup finals.

The University is staging the men's and women's European event where Hounslow, last year's Hockey Association Cup winners, will be in competition with, among others, the Dutch clubs, HGC, from the Hague and, Bloemendaal, and from Germany, Rot-Weiss Koln. Hounslow, although missing the New Zealand international, Scott Hobson, are confident of retaining their three-point lead over second-placed Southgate.

Southgate have no easy task. They travel across the Thames to meet their London rivals, Bromley, who can always be relied upon to provide stubborn resistance. Southgate, with no injury problems, should return with full points.

Third-placed Havant, licking their wounds after last weekend's mauling by Hounslow and with little now to play for other than the league play-offs, are likely to rest the Great Britain goalkeeper, Sean Rowlands, and play Jimmy Lewis when they face Sean Kerly's Canterbury.