The Eversley Centre in Basildon hosted the opening games of the ESHA season for two teams from Borehamwood Crusaders Skaterhockey Club.

The Saracens youth team faced the Stansted Hurricanes, and they got off to a good start when Tom Dickinson scored from the face-off.

Craig Bishop then slap shotted-in his first after eight minutes.

The Hurricanes got a goal back, but Jaydean George scored with a wrist shot at the end of the first period.

In the second period Ben Johnson made his debut between the pipes, and Dickinson opened the scoring for the Wood. Sam Roberts and Chris Dartnell then passed through the Stansted players to take the fifth.

The Sarries ended the period leading 8-1, with goals from Theo Jones, Bishop and Jermaine Hall.

Although the Hurricanes pulled one back, Martin Spight returned to goal and Saracens scored through Dartnell, Roberts, Jones, George and Hall.

The Crusader Lionhearts opened the 2002 Pee-Wee season with a nail-biting 7-6 win over the Enforcers.

Josh Sylvester scored a finely worked goal after two minutes.

However, despite goals from Tom Avery and Ross Sin-Hidge, and superb saves from James Wright, the Lionhearts were only level 3-3 at half-time.

Shortly after the break, Lionhearts roared into a 5-3 lead, thanks to a scorcher from Tom Candle and another from Sin-Hidge.

The Enforcers then scored three to lead 6-5 with a few minutes left.

However, Lionhearts defenders James Cantle, Olly Caplan, Wills Barnes and Thomas Sexton stood firm and the team deservedly pulled level.

Tom Avery won the match in the dying seconds, completing his hat-trick with a cool backhand finish.