The return of key players to the Leicester squad fired off a warning shot to other Slazenger Women’s Premiership sides as to what they are likely to face next season when Leicester are back up to full strength. Slough, of course, have already won the Premiership title but the comprehensiveness of the beating they received from Leicester this afternoon cannot be simply written off on the grounds that the outcome did not matter. Helen Richardson scored an early goal for Leicester but it received a quick reply from Slough’s Natalie Bell from a penalty corner. After that the match was all Leicester’s, with a hat-trick from Hannah Macleod, two goals from Holly Payne, and a penalty stroke by Helen Richardson. All this was despite Leicester’s Alexis Williamson, Gemma Darrington and Julia Sawkings spending time in the sin bin. Slough had a golden patch in the second half during which Chloe Strong found the net but the final score, 7-1, sees a return to the high scoring ways we have associated with Leicester in the past. Our photograph shows Slough’s captain, Fiona Greenham will the Premiership trophy, presented to Slough after the match. Photographs from this match will be posted on our main web site tomorrow. Another side with a prolific scoring record are Bowdon Hightown and they were back on song this afternoon, putting nine passed Ipswich. The scorers for Hightown were Tina Cullen (5), Nicky O’Donnell (2) and Jo Ellis (2). Tina Cullen has now scored a total of 300 goals in the EHL. Lizzy Aldous was Ipswich’s scorer in their 9-2 defeat. Canterbury also were in scoring mode when they played host to relegated Old Loughtonians, with Canterbury’s goals coming from Cathy Gilliat-Smith (2), Jenny Wilson, Helen Grant (2), Hayley Brown and Natasha Brennan. Final score 7-1. This morning Poynton were in the play off place and three points behind Chelmsford. Katie Malman’s 43rd minute goal for Poynton when the two sides met this afternoon means that Chelmsford will be fighting for survival in the Premiership on their home ground in the play-offs next weekend. Fourth placed Olton overcame Clifton 3-1 but superior goal difference means they finish one place behind Leicester.
Slazenger EHL Women’s Premier Division final table: 1. Slough (champions), 2. Bowdon Hightown, 3. Leicester, 4. Olton and West Warwickshire, 5. Canterbury, 6. Clifton, 7. Ipswich, 8. Poynton, 9. Chelmsford (play-offs) , 10. Old Loughtonians (relegated).
The very tight position at the top of Women’s Division One was finally settled when Sunderland beat Birmingham University 3-1. They now earn a play-off place. Reading put a single goal passed Sutton Coldfield and stay in third.
Top of Women’s Division One (final table): 1. Trojans (champions), 2. Sunderland (play-offs), 3. Reading, 4. Birmingham University, 5. Sutton Coldfield.
As next season’s league restructure means that there will be no promotion from the National North and South Divisions, all eyes were focussed on the play-off candidates at the bottom end of the table. In the North Sheffield Hallam could only manage a 0-0 draw against Whitley Bay and so remain in the play-off spot. Theoretically, a win for Horsham in the National South could have elevated them four places and out of harms way. Despite doing their bit with a 3-1 win over Sevenoaks, the teams ahead of them, Firebrands, Maidstone, St Austell and St Albans, all conspired to win their matches,. Horsham remain three off the bottom and go forward to the play-offs.
The EHL play-offs take place next weekend at Chelmsford Hockey Club.
LATEST FROM OLYMPIC QUALIFIER
In the final Olympic qualifier, being held in Kakamigahara (Japan), today’s scores were: Germany 8 Italy 0, Malaysia 2 Poland 1, Switzerland 1 Japan 2.
