IT'S CANNOCK VERSUS EAST GRINSTEAD!

The last of the semi-final match has been played and we now know who the finalists will be in tomorrow's (Sunday) EH Cup at Reading. Surbiton found themselves two down after fifteen minutes after a field goal by Michael Johnson and a penalty corner conversion by Simon Ramsden. James Mulcair and Matt Daly pulled two back for Surbiton and half time was reached with honours even. Andy Brogdon scored in open play to return the lead to Cannock in the 52nd minute, but a field goal Steven Richardson put the score at 3-3 with seven minutes of play left. However, Cannock struck back almost immediately with a penalty corner strike from Andrew West. Final score, 4-3. So the scene was set for a final between last year's runner's up, East Grinstead, and the side that were pipped for the Premiership by Reading on the final day of the league season. Although league form suggests that Cannock may be lifting the cup tomorrow, East Grinstead often perform at their best in events such as this, so it could be anyone's match.

The schedule for tomorrow at Reading HC is:
12:30 Women's Cup Final: Slough v Bowdon HIghtown.
15:00 Men's Cup Final: East Grinstead v Cannock.

TalkHockeyRadio will be there, with a full report of the matches on this blog tomorrow night, and photographs on our website over the next few days. Interviews from the finals will be on our podcast, due out on 12/4/07.

HERO HARTLEY WINS FINAL PLACE FOR BOWDON

It was mixed fortunes for the Bowdon club this afternoon. The club had the unusual distinction of having both their men's and women's teams in semi-final action at Reading. First up were the men, who were pitted against last years finalists, East Grinstead. Ashley Jackson converted an early penalty corner to give 'Grinstead the lead and the match went into the break with the single goal having been scored. Jackson made it two after the restart, but Bowdon had a magic ten minutes during which their Dominic Maquire evened up the score. A late penalty corner by skipper Ben Payne gave East Grinstead the match. Bowdon Hightown lost a 2-1 lead in the closing seconds when Ipswich's Lizzy Aldous scored a late equaliser in the women's semi final. The match went to golden goal extra time but Charlotte Hartley restored the lead and the match for Bowdon.

In the other women's semi-final Slough were too strong for Poynton, winning 5-1. At the time of writing this blog the second men's semi final was still being played.

READING GRAB PREMIERSHIP TITLE ON FINAL DAY

Both championship and relegation issues went to the wire as the last games were played in the Men’s EHL this afternoon. If the organisers had written the script back in October, they could hardly have done better. This morning Cannock were leading the Premier Division by two points and faced second-placed Reading to decide the championship. The game went without score until the 26^th minute, when Simon Mantell scored from the penalty spot. Andrew Brogdon put the sides on level terms early in the second half, but Matt Armitage secured the win and the championship for Reading with a field goal with seven minutes left on the clock. The other end of the division was equally intriguing, with Canterbury occupying the relegation play-off position, one point behind Belper. Surprisingly it was already relegated Guildford who found a Get-Out-of-Gaol card for Canterbury by beating Belper 3-2, all of Guildford’s goals coming from Danny Hall. Meanwhile Canterbury saw off Beeston, despite being 2-1 down at half time. Their eventual 4-3 win puts them in the eighth place and secure for another year. Belper will now go forward to the play-offs to retain their Premier Division status.

Belper will not find the play-offs easy, as they will meeting Bowdon from Division One. Although first and second place were already decided in this division, Bowdon finished off their season is fine form by beating Brooklands 8-2. Havant are already promoted. At the bottom of Division One Holcombe and Teddington are already relegated. Chelmsford had a last ditch opportunity to escape the relegation play-offs by winning 4-2 at Holcombe but the club they were chasing, Southgate, won 5-1 at Teddington, leaving the Essex side one point adrift from safety.

In the EHL North Divivision the two top teams, Sheffield UB and Barford Tigers, met with nothing to decide other than the glory of winning the last match. Barford managed to beat the Bankers 4-3, but remain in the play-off place, fourteen points ahead of Doncaster in third place. The bottom of the table remains unchanged, with Lichfield and Nottingham relegated and Sheffield Hallam in the relegation play-off spot. In the South, Old Georgians are already promoted and Oxted are in the play-off place, but it was all change at the other end of the table. It was a sad goodbye to St Albans, who had a slim chance of escape but were beaten 7-4 by Ipswich. Oxford Hawks, who this morning were in the drop zone, managed to put six passed mid-table Whitchurch for a reply of two, and move up into the play-off slot. This result relegates Plymouth Marjon, who were beaten 5-1 by University of Birmingham.

Full EHL league tables will appear on our site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk later today.

TRIUMPH AND TEARS ON FINAL DAY OF WOMEN'S EHL

It was the final day in the Women’s EHL today and triumph or tears for a number of sides. Leicester were already winners of the Premiership before today but a win away against Canterbury would have put the icing on the cake. Canterbury had ideas of their own about the icing. But this was a match that explained why Leicester are top and Canterbury are third in the table. Canterbury had all the early running but failed to find the net. It was during one of the comparably few forays into the Canterbury twenty-five that Kerry Williams was fouled and umpire Louise Knipe, umpiring her last EHL match, signalled for a penalty corner, which was converted by Anne Panter. Canterbury continued to have much of the run of play and eleven minutes after the re-start Cathy Gilliat-Smith converted a penalty corner to makes honours even. Two minutes later Susannah Townsend gave Canterbury the lead with a shot that nearly pulled the net off its uprights. Briefly it looked like it might be Canterbury’s day, but with eight minutes left on the clock Ann Panter struck again, this time from open play, to make the final score 2-2. Some people claim that women’s hockey is boring – and sometimes they are right – but even from two teams who can play better than this was an intriguing and entertaining game. Our photograph shows Leicester skipper, Julia Sawkings, receiving the Premiership trophy from match official Sue Bodycombe.

At the bottom end of the table it was really a matter of deciding who was automatically relegated and who had the lifeline of a play-off place. Bottom placed Doncaster lost 3-0 at Olton, whilst Sutton Coldfield managed a 3-3 draw against Chelmsford, with Jane Sixsmith scoring a hat trick and briefly giving Sutton a lead. Doncaster are relegated and Sutton Coldfield go through to the play offs. There they will meet Clifton from Division One, who beat bottom placed Horsham 2-1. Clifton could have overtaken leaders Poynton, but Poynton managed to beat Firebrands 3-0. Barnes, who had led Division One for much of the season, were able to win against mid-table Harleston Magpies, 3-2, with Harriet Preest scoring twice for Barnes, but their recent failure to gain points means they will have to wait until next season for a chance of promotion. Horsham and Firebrands were already relegated from this division, but the relegation play-off place was decided when Birmingham University drew 0-0 at Sunderland. Loughborough Students, who had previously occupied the play-off slot, redeemed themselves with a 3-0 win against Trojans. As a result it is Birmingham University whose fate will be decided at the play-offs

The top spot in the North EHL had already been decided, with Durham University being promoted. But their 1-1 result against Belper, and the 1-1 result between Preston and Aldridge, means that Aldridge and Belper stay in second and third place respectively and so Aldridge have the play-off spot. Preston were already stranded in the play-off place for relegation from the EHL. Worcester and Chester are relegated. In the South, Reading are clear winners with St Albans already qualified for a play-off place. The two relegation slots were already booked by Wimbledon and Southampton, with only the relegation play-off place to be decided. Exmouth could only draw 0-0 against Southampton. Had the score been different at Exmouth, Bournemouth’s Louise Partridge would be kicking herself for hitting the upright from a 48^th minute penalty stroke in their surprise 1-1 draw against St Albans. A win by Exmouth would have left Bournemouth and not Exmouth entering the relegation play-offs.

Full league tables will appear on our main web site, www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk, tomorrow (Sunday),

TWO RED CARDS MAR TOP VERSUS BOTTOM CLASH

Being relegated out of the North or South Divisions of the EHL means an end to national league hockey, or at least for a season, but with a single match left to play only one club knows for certain that they are taking the drop. Today (Sunday) all three clubs at the bottom of the North Division lost. Nottingham, who are already relegated, had salt rubbed into the wound when they met second placed Barford Tigers and fell victim to four goals by the irrepressible Jimmy Singh for a reply of two. This match was marred by the red carding of Nottingham’s Tom Oliver and Tiger’s Ravinder Sandhu following a violent confrontation just before the break. Barford started out the day having already booked a play-off place but are unable to catch leaders Sheffield UB, who also won today 3-2 against Harrogate. Tenth placed Sheffield Hallam and eleventh placed Lichfield still have the lifeline of a play-off place to play for. Hallam are three points ahead of Lichfield but with a five goal advantage on goal difference. Both clubs are due to play opponents next Sunday from the lower end of the table.

In the South, Old Georgians are already promoted with a ten point advantage over second placed Oxted, and a goal difference of 65. Oxted have booked their play-off place by virtue of their 5-1 win over Ipswich, who are on the edge of the relegation zone. Just like elsewhere in the league, the final fixtures have thrown up some life and death confrontations, including today’s meeting of the two bottom clubs, Oxford Hawks and St Albans. Hawks put six past the Saints for no reply and move off bottom spot. Plymouth Marjon are stuck in the play-off spot, two points behind Ipswich. In theory, for all four bottom clubs, it depends on the last match and the play-offs. St Albans meet Ipswich next Sunday, Hawks play fifth placed Whitchurch, and Plymouth play University of Birmingham.

Full updated league tables will be posted to our main site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk later today.

ONE WEEK TO GO AND SOME ISSUES STILL TO BE DECIDED

The penultimate round of matches in the women’s EHL has seen some issues settled. Slough who were lying second this morning have cemented themselves a European place by beating Bowdon Hightown 2-1. Third placed Canterbury won their match against Chelmsford from a single goal by Hayley Brown in the dying seconds, but they remain four points adrift of Slough. Leicester remain at the top of the table after their 4-0 win at Ipswich. At the other end of the table there had been a theoretical possibility that Sutton Coldfield could avoid a play-off place, but Old Loughtonians move up two places by beating Olton 2-0. Sutton slugged out a 0-0 draw against bottom placed Doncaster, which leaves neither club with a chance of avoiding either the drop or the play-offs.

In Division One Barnes Hounslow Ealing have had a disastrous end of season run and over the last few weeks have slipped from first to fourth. They lost again today 1-0 against Clifton, who move up into second place. Cath Linaker, who was once more on target for Poynton, scored two of her side’s goals in a 3-1 win over bottom placed Horsham. Poynton are now guaranteed at least a play-off place, with the other contenders being Clifton, Sunderland and Barnes. At the basement end of the table Firebrands and Horsham are already relegated, the only place in contention being the play-off to stay in the division, a slot currently occupied by Loughborough Students, who lost 1-0 today against Harleston Magpies.

Issues in the South Division are already decided, with Reading going up and St Albans going to the play-offs. Wimbledon and Southampton leave the EHL next season, as do Worcester and Chester in the North. Durham University are promoted from the North Division, but the play-off place has still to be decided between Aldridge and Belper. Aldridge, who are one point ahead of Belper, meet Preston who are in the relegation play offs next week, whilst Belper still have a meeting with Durham University.

THERE WAS ALSO ACTION IN THE MEN’S EHL TODAY with matches being played in the top two divisions. Issues in the Men’s Premier are due to go to the wire, with the first and second slots being fought out between Cannock and Reading. Cannock’s Andrew Langlands scored a hat-trick in his sides 6-2 defeat of relegated Guildford, whilst Reading were on scoring form at Hampstead, beating the home side 5-2, despite a missed penalty stroke by Reading’s Simon Lanyon. This season fixture list has thrown up some intriguing end-of-season meetings, none more so than Reading v Cannock next Sunday. Canterbury’s get out of gaol card went missing when they met fellow relegation strugglers Belper and came of the worse in a 7-3 result. They can still theoretically avoid the play-off slot if Belper lose against Guildford next weekend, but on today’s result that seems unlikely.

Barnes are not the only club to have been suffering from end of season blues. Bowdon, who have been leaders in men’s Division One for most of the season, lost 4-1 to third placed Old Loughtonians, but are still guaranteed a play-off place. Leaders Havant went on an extraordinary twelve goal spree against Bournville, who were in fourth place this morning, with hat-tricks from Ben Allberry (4) and Callum Giles (3). The England Performance Director’s son, Simon Faulkner, was also amongst the scorers. If Holcombe had any chance of avoiding the drop it would have been against already relegated Teddington, who until this morning had not picked up a single point. Teddington now have a point, thanks to a two-all draw. Southgate move up one place, leaving Chelmsford in the play-off slot, courtesy of a 4-2 win over Brooklands, and there is now a five point gap between Holcombe and Chelmsford, which means Holcombe are relegated. Southgate meet Teddington next Sunday whilst Chelmsford meet Holcombe. The survival of Southgate and Chelmsford will depend on the outcomes.

A full set of league tables will be posted to our main site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk tomorrow evening (Sunday).

HAVANT'S TEN GOAL STORM PUTS THEM IN LEAD

In the words of the song, what a difference a day makes. Only forty-eight hours ago Bowdon were leading Men’s Division One. Yesterday’s top of the table clash against Havant resulted in Bowdon conceding first place, but only on goal difference. Today (Sunday) Havant played their game in hand against luckless Teddington, and put ten passed the struggling Londoners for no reply, of which Ahmed Ezz Mohamed was the leading scorer with five. None of the remaining fixtures look particularly attractive for either side’s prospects, but realistically Bowdon need two straight wins to stay in with a chance of taking the automatic promotion spot. Havant’s goal difference benefited from today’s meeting and stands at +40 as opposed to Bowdon’s +24. Although both clubs are guaranteed either a promotion or a play-off spot, yesterday’s match between Guildford and Canterbury demonstrated that there are no easy pickings amongst the bottom Premier Division sides.

It is not only in the Men’s Premier that this weekend has thrown up matches against the bottom sides. In the EHL North today, Lichfield beat bottom placed Nottingham to give themselves a slim hope of a play-off place.

Full EHL league tables will be posted to our main website later today.

HALL'S 200th NOT ENOUGH TO RESCUE GUILDFORD by Peter Savage

With only three more games to finish the season the fixture list has contrived to give some of the clubs in the basement end of the Men’s Premier Division a lifeline by pitting them against each other. If points are to be found this is where to find them. This afternoon bottom placed Guildford played hosts to their nearest rivals for the wooden spoon, Canterbury. To watch the first few minutes of the match you would not have thought that Guildford were the team with one foot over the edge of the precipice. They played with confidence and verve, and it was very much against the run of play that Greg Nicol opened the scoring for the visitors with a goal from open play in the eleventh minute. Most of the home crowd were hoping not just for a win but to see skipper Danny Hall (pictured here in the maroon shirt) to score his 200^th league goal. Hall duly obliged by netting the ball after a fine solo run and then followed up with his 201^st minutes later. But it was a transformed Canterbury side that came out after the break. Matthews converted a penalty corner a few minutes after the re-start and in the last few minutes of the match he scored a second followed by Nicols’ second just before the whistle. Guildford meet Belper, who lost 7-1 to East Grinstead today, in two weeks time, but in the meantime they have to play top-placed Cannock who beat Surbiton 4-1. Belper play Canterbury next weekend and Canterbury’s last match is against out-of form Beeston. I’m not a betting man but my money would be on surviving and Guildford and Canterbury being in the relegation / play-off zone.

The Women’s Premier has become a bit predictable these days, something which is evidenced by the eight point gap between the top four clubs and the rest of the pack. It is only the scorelines which raise eyebrows. 2-0 is a modest score by Leicester standards but their win against Olton was enough to maintain a four point lead at the head of the table. Bowdon Hightown have kept up their high scoring ways with a 6-1 victory over Ipswich, the most remarkable feature of this game being that there were six different scorers on the score sheet. Canterbury beat bottom placed Doncaster 3-0, whilst Slough beat Chelmsford 3-2.

Last Wednesday TalkHockeyRadio was posted to our web site with an piece about the front runners in Division 1. Today, both clubs featured have lost their top spot. In the women’s league Barnes last by a single goal at Sunderland and have been replaced by Poynton, whose Cath Linaker scored all four goals against Trojans. Bowdon met second placed Havant in the men’s league and came off the worse through goals by Ahmed Ezz Mohamed, Calum Giles, and Ben Allbery. Bowdon recorded one goal courtesy of David Egerton. Bowdon and Havant are now only separated by a goal difference of six, with Havant having a game in hand, and the nearest chasing club cannot now catch them.

Full EHL league tables will appear on our main website at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk tomorrow.

BOWDON WIN SEMI FINAL PLACE

Bowdon, who are currently leading the EHL First Division, took a notable scalp in the quarter finals of the EH Cup when they knocked out Loughborough Students 3-2 in extra time this afternoon (Sunday). Pakistan international, Ali Ghazanfar, scored all of Bowdon’s goals from penalty corners. The other Div 1 teams left in the contest were less lucky. Havant lost 2-3 to Surbiton and Cannock overcame Bourneville 4-1. In the all Premier match East Grinstead won at Canterbury 7-3. There was also a women’s quarter final match played today, in which potential promotion candidates from Division 1 overcame Chelmsford with a single goal.

In the league Old Georgians won the top of the table EHL South Division clash against Oxted 2-1 and have opened up a 10 point gap. In the North Division the leaders, Sheffield University Bankers and Barford Tigers are well ahead of the pack, despite second placed Barford losing 6-3 against Formby in sixth place. David Seddon scored five of Formby’s goals, including two penalty strokes.

Full league tables will be posted to our main site at www.talkhockeyradio.co.uk later this evening.

EHL Roundup for 3 March

Today (Saturday) saw a full programme of EHL matches as the league season moves towards its climax. In the women's Premier Division free scoring teams Bowdon and Leicester met, with the honours going 3-2 to Leicester, with two goals from Helen Richardson and one from Hannah Macleod. The East Anglian derby between Chelmsford and Ipswich finished in a 2-2 drawer, whilst Olton scored a surprising victory against third-placed Canterbury. Near the bottom of the table Doncaster won 2-1 against Old Loughtonians, whilst the bottom team, Sutton Coldfield suffered a 5-1 defeat at the hands of second place Slough.

In the men's Premier, leaders Cannock put six passed third placed Loughborough Students for a reply of three, whilst struggling Belper could find no reply against second placed Reading, who also scored six. Beeston, who at one time were at the top of the division, were held to a surprise 2-2 draw by visitors Guildford. East Grinstead's hopes of Championship glory were dashed when they were also a 3-3 draw by Hampstead. Canterbury picked up a useful point with a 2-2 finish against Surbiton but remain in deep trouble on eight points.

In men's Division 1 Bowdon suffered only their second defeat of the season, going down 2-1 to Bath. They are three points ahead of second placed Havant, who won an thirteen goal thriller against Chelmsford 8-5, with hat-tricks from Callum Giles and Ezz.

Full EHL table will appear on our main site at www,talkhockeyradio.co.uk on Sunday.