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 26th 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.
