The fact that East Grinstead had already achieved first place in the Premier Division of the England Hockey League did not stop their nearest rivals, Beeston, going all out for a win when the two leading sides met at Saint Hill this afternoon.
Beeston's Adam Dixon found the net in the first three minutes, but East Grinstead's Ashley Jackson replied soon after. After that the two sides shared no less than 12 goals between them. At 8-5 in Beeston's favour, Nial Stott scored in the dying seconds, but the match ended 8-6 to Beeston. Four points separate the two sides but, with only one match left to play, Beeston must settle for second.
Reading are now four points behind Beeston after putting Southgate to the sword, 6-0. Fortunately for Southgate, Hampstead and Westminster beat Bowdon 4-3. Bowdon slip to bottom after University of Exeter shared the points with Surbiton in a 1-1 draw. Southgate, University of Exeter and Bowdon are on 15, 14 and 13 points respectively.
Cannock drop one place to fourth after losing 1-2 at home to Loughborough Students. Loughborough Students, in sixth place, are four points behind fifth place Surbiton, which means that East Grinstead, Beeston, Reading, Cannock and Surbiton, have all secured Championship play-off places.
TalkHockeyRadio was at Luxborough Lane to see Old Loughtonians go down 1-2 to visiting Bromley and Beckenham in the East Conference. Old Loughts were playing on their new blue and pink pitch and pictures of this match will appear on our HockeyImages web site tomorrow (Sunday). Unfortunately for them, the defeat means that they can no longer catch Canterbury in poll position, despite Canterbury losing 2-3 to Teddington this afternoon.
There was a bit of déjà vu for us this afternoon, as two years ago we were at Old Loughts when they were high in the table and they lost to a struggling Bromley and Beckenham. Despite the win, Bromley will now face a relegation play-off. On what we saw this afternoon, they deserve better. Harleston Magpies, one place below them at the bottom of the table, drew 4-4 against Indian Gymkhana but are relegated.
The top of the table clash in the North Conference ended with Sheffield Hallam going down 0-4 to Brooklands MU. Sheffield can catch Brooklands and have a better goal difference, but Brooklands have a game in hand. Issues are still to be decided at the basement end of the table, with Deeside Ramblers losing 4-5 to Belper, and Barford Tigers losing 5-4 to Doncaster. Next weekend's results will decide which is relegated and which will be in the relegation play off.
Team Bath Buccaneers secured the West Conference Championships several weeks ago, but they are ending the season with a flourish with a 3-1 over University of Birmingham in their penultimate match. Bournville are already relegated, but the relegation play off place is still to be decided. Cheltenham, currently in eighth place, could be caught by Lichfield in ninth. Lichfield recorded a 2-1 win at home to Guildford this afternoon.
There was a full set of matches played in the Investec Women's Premier Division this afternoon. Bowdon Hightown beat Sutton Coldfield 3-2, and move up into fifth place, two points ahead of Olton & West Warwicks.
The automatic relegation spot was decided some time ago, but there is a real scrap going on for the relegation play off placed. Slough, in ninth place, beat relegated Cannock 2-1, whilst eighth place University of Birmingham beat Olton & West Warwicks 4-1. Today's results leave Sutton Coldfield on 20 points and University of Birmingham and Slough on 19.
The Division winners, Reading went down 0-3 at home to Canterbury, which means that the Kent side move up to third. Second place Leicester beat Clifton 5-0.
FULL RESULTS AND TABLES FOR TODAY'S MATCHES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR MAIN WEB SITE AT www.TalkHockeyRadio.co.uk.
