Picture: Tournament Director Jo Pennycook hands the Premier League winners' trophy to Slough skipper Mandy Nicholson. The Women's Indoor England Hockey League played its final matches this weekend after snow had caused the postponement of it's post-Christmas matches two weeks ago.
As of this morning (Sunday) the top spot was being shared by Slough and Canterbury, separated by goal difference, with Leicester three points behind them. Playing their final matches today, it seemed that the fate of several teams lay in the hands of Chelmsford who, despite their Conference status outdoors, seem more than capable of holding their own indoors. Leicester were to discover this when they went down 1-3 to the Essex side in the first game of the morning.
Chelmsford had less luck against the leaders, Slough, with three goals by Jane Smith stopping them from creeping into the top four. Had they won they would have displaced Bowdon Hightown from fourth place, following Hightown's 4-3 defeat at the hands of Canterbury.
Slough take the indoor league title, with Canterbury in second place. They qualify for next weekend's National Indoor Championships in Nottingham, together with Leicester (3rd place) and Bowdon Hightown (4th place).
WOMEN'S PREMIER DIVISION FINAL TABLE:
Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
Slough | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 16 | 28 | 21 |
Canterbury | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 21 | 14 | 21 |
Leicester | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 22 | 14 | 15 |
Bowdon Hightown | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 31 | 29 | 2 | 12 |
Chelmsford | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 27 | -9 | 12 |
Ipswich | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 18 | 27 | -9 | 7 |
Trojans | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 36 | -14 | 7 |
Clifton | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 26 | 36 | -10 | 6 |
Olton & West Warwicks | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 28 | 44 | -16 | 6 |
In Division One, a poor showing by Reading against Bradford Wakefield, which finished 2-2, did not stop them from winning the division with a six point margin.
WOMEN'S DIVISION ONE FINAL TABLE:
Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
Reading | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 12 | 22 | 22 |
Sutton Coldfield | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 33 | 16 | 17 | 16 |
Harleston Magpies | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 14 |
Old Loughtonians | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 19 | 3 | 11 |
Barnes Hounslow Ealing | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 17 | -1 | 11 |
Sevenoaks | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 20 | -3 | 10 |
Bradford Wakefield | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 13 | -3 | 7 |
Liverpool Sefton | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 24 | -10 | 7 |
Aldridge | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 36 | -27 | 4 |
MEN'S DIVISION ONE FINAL TABLE:
Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
Canterbury | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 57 | 33 | 24 | 21 |
Bowdon | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 34 | 23 | 11 | 16 |
Bournville | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 34 | 28 | 6 | 16 |
Barford Tigers | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 30 | 31 | -1 | 11 |
Stourport | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 37 | -10 | 9 |
Doncaster | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 35 | 37 | -2 | 8 |
Team Bath Buccaneers | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 41 | 44 | -3 | 8 |
Holcombe | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 34 | 37 | -3 | 8 |
Maidstone | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 27 | 49 | -22 | 4 |
