SEMI FINAL ENDS IN NEAR FARCE by Peter Savage in Nottingham

Picture: Slough's Becky Duggan stops an easy shot at goal during the penalty corner shoot-out.

The venue was new although the faces mostly weren't.

The annual National Indoor Championships kicked off this afternoon at its new home, the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham This year the event has been spread over two days, with the schools finals and the women's semi finals played today.

The familiar faces were Slough and the holders Bowdon Hightown, who both managed to embarrass themselves in a near farcical penalty corner shoot-out in which a total of 18 strokes resulted in only five goals. Bowdon - whose line-up included Sally Walton, who only two weeks ago was in a French hospital having her appendix removed – got off to a promising start in the match with a 6^th minutes goal from Tina Cullen. Slough drew level just before the break with a goal from Alex Scott and briefly took the lead in the second half when Jane Smith found the net. As if to prove that the old 'uns are the best, Cullen scored her second shortly after.

At 2-2 at the final hooter, the match went to penalty strokes. Both sides could only manage a goal apiece in the first barrage, so it was into sudden death territory. Alex Scott scored for Slough and Michelle Liptrot for Bowdon – but we then witnessed no less than nine penalty strokes that were either saved or went wide. It was finally Slough's Chloe Strong who broke the deadlock and gave Slough a place in tomorrow's final.

Earlier, Leicester had grabbed a place in the final in a reasonably comfortable win over Canterbury, despite an early goal from Canterbury's Lucy Barnes. Chloe Rogers, who is proving to be a real asset to any team indoors, popped in two second half goals for Leicester, adding to Becky Herbert's 17^th minute equaliser. Final score 3-1 to Leicester.

The new venue, which is constructed as an ice hockey rink, looks as if it will be a huge success. It is debatable whether the hall is bigger or smaller than the NIA, but it feels more compact and a little more intimate. We look forward to some decent crowds tomorrow.