David Griffiths, the Beeston striker, had hoped to complete a fairytale ending to a traumatic few weeks by scoring the winning goal against Reading, the former premier division champions, in the Slazenger English Hockey League yesterday. He made a fine start, opening the scoring in the 30th minute, but his newly promoted club lost 2-1.

It would have been the icing on the cake for Griffiths, who had everything to look forward to until his world came crashing down less than two months ago when he was found to have testicular cancer. After surgery to remove one testicle, his recovery has been inspiring during a tough few weeks of uncertainty and tests.

In August this year, Griffiths, 21, celebrated making his senior Wales debut after representing England at under-16, under-18 and under-21 levels. The leading goalscorer for his club last season, his efficiency in front of goal had helped Beeston, three miles southwest of Nottingham, to earn promotion to the top flight for the first time in their history.

He admits that it has been an emotional time for him and his family, and he said: “The CT scan last week showed no more tumours and the cancer hasn’t spread, but I still need blood tests every week and for the moment, the specialist doesn’t think I’ll need to have chemotherapy. I’m chuffed to bits about that.

“It’s not something blokes like to talk about,” he said. “But I went to the doctor about a large swelling and things just went from there. There’s no screening for men, which I think there should be, but I certainly didn’t have a problem with it and now doctors can look where they want.”

Impatient to return to the game, Griffiths played in Beeston’s 3-1 win against Surbiton four weeks later, coming on as a substitute and scoring with his first touch after three minutes. He says that there is an element of risk playing a sport with a ball travelling at high speed and flying sticks, but he is prepared to take it and the specialist has left the decision up to him.

Hugely popular among his peers, the irrepressible Griffiths says that he has been humbled by all the support he has received. “It’s been fantastic from the club and Wales — this is what hockey is all about. People do care and we’re one big family,” he said.

He is already planning a cycle ride from John O’Groats to Land’s End with some of his team-mates to raise funds for the oncology unit at the City Hospital in Nottingham, where he was treated.

Paradoxically, he cycled the opposite route last year, raising £6,000 for Cancer Research. While in hospital he read Lance Armstrong’s book describing how the American cyclist won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times after brain and testicular surgery. “He spoke about turning negatives into positives and now I think I’m stronger mentally and can go out there and do special things,” Griffiths said. “All of a sudden playing Reading didn’t seem quite so scary.”

Second-half goals by Simon Mantell and Simon Lanyon steered Reading home and into pole position in the table, ahead of Cannock and Loughborough Students on goal difference. Beeston slipped to fourth place, two points adrift of the joint leaders, after maintaining a highly creditable challenge in their first season.

Griffiths said that the team were very disappointed but he remained typically upbeat, saying: “It was a bit scrappy and to Reading’s credit they turned it round and played very well as a unit. This time last year we were fifth in the first division, so to be here at the midwinter break makes for a very interesting time after Christmas.”

In the women’s premier division, Leicester, the title-holders, took over from Slough at the top after Rebecca Herbert and Kate Sharland scored late goals in a 2-0 win away to Olton. Trailing 2-0 away to Chelmsford after Lynn Bollington, the veteran striker, scored two quick goals, Slough fought back to force a draw through second-half efforts from Fiona Greenham and Jane Smith.

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