SOUTHGATE AND BUCKINGHAM LEAD THE PLAY-OFF TABLES

Four team – two places!  Today saw the start of the England Hockey League promotion play-offs tournaments.

In the NOW:Pensions Men’s Hockey League, Sheffield Hallam were away at Brooklands MU trying to retain their Premier Division  status. All seemed to be going swimmingly when Will Hearne scored in less than two minutes, with follow-up goals from Liam Ansell and Mike Shaw giving Hallam a 0-3 lead after less than 15 minutes.  But Dave Flanagan and Aiden Khares both managed to find the net moments later, with Peter Cornell scoring an equaliser  for Brooklands soon after the start of the second half. Final score 3-3.

Southgate from the Conference East, are looking for an early return to the Premiership, and they go to the top of the play-off table after Simeon Bird scored the only goal in their match at home to Cardiff and Met.

After one match the table is 1. Southgate 3 Pts (+1), Jt 2 Brooklands MU and Sheffield Hallam 1 pt (+0), 4. Cardiff & Met 0 pts (-1).

The sides play their remaining two matches at Reading next weekend.

Buckingham got off to a flyer against Brooklands Poynton in the Investec Women’s League  play-offs. First half goals from Zoe Shipperley and Jo Ellis, followed by second half goals from Katrina Nicholson and Ellis, gave Buckingham a 4-0 win and they go to the top of the table.

Conference East Champions, Holcombe, played out a 1-1 draw against Premier Division Sutton Coldfield.  Sutton’s goal came from Jane Sixsmith, and Lauren Osborn scored Holcombe’s equaliser.

After one match the table is 1. Buckingham 3 pts (+4), Jt2. Holcombe and Sutton Coldfield 1 pt (+0), 4. Brooklands Poynton 0 pts (-4).

The sides playing their remaining two matches at Reading in a fortnight’s time.

BARNES AND BRIGHTON LOOK TO SURVIVAL. News from the relegation play-offs.

There were two relegation play-off matches played today in the England Hockey League.

In the NOW:Pensions Men’s League a recently resurgent Brighton & Hove played Isca in an attempt to stay in the East Division for longer than one season. Their improved form was very apparent as their Sam Rose, Mike Burney and Sam Chivers notched three up before Isca’s Jon Wright could reply in the 61st minute.  Rose, Burney and Chivers had provided the cake which Luc Hinton put the icing on with a 63^rd minute goal to give Brighton a 4-1 win.

The next relegation play-off match is between Isca and North Conference Khalsa on 5 April. 

In the Investec Women’s League, Boots travelled down to London to play Barnes at Dukes Meadow, and TalkHockeyRadio was there to see the match.  It was apparent from the start that Boots were going to struggle in this company. Despite this it took 68 minutes before Triona Doyle found the net for Barnes in what was the only goal of the match. Barnes had scored about 15 minutes earlier, only to see the goal disallowed.

Barnes travel to Chelmsford next weekend for the next play-off match. 

PICTURES FROM THIS MATCH ARE ON OUR SISTER WEB SITE AT www.HockeyImages.co.uk.

SURBITON MAKE 'GRINSTEAD WORK FOR TOP FINISH. A round-up of today's matches in the NOW:Pensions Men's League.

The scene was set for an exciting finale to the 2013-14 NOW:Pensions Men’s Hockey League season this afternoon.  East Grinstead headed the Premiership table on 41 points, the same number as Beeston, but with a much better goal difference.  At the bottom of the table, Sheffield Hallam in 10^th place were only two points behind Loughborough Students, who themselves were only one point behind eighth place Cannock.

This afternoon, despite Cannock’s Peter Jackson scoring first, Beeston won three points at home by beating Cannock 2-1.  Beeston’s goals came from Sam Ward and Richard Lawrence.  But what was going on down in London, where East Grinstead were visiting fourth placed Surbiton?  The Surbiton v East Grinstead match looked so appealing that we decided to make it this weekend’s featured match, and we were not disappointed.  

Mark Pearn was early to put EG’s stamp on the match with a goal in the third minute.  Although a stinging James Royce penalty corner conversion put Surbiton back into the match eight minutes later, it did look as if ‘Grinstead had this match by the scruff of its neck. Pearn asserted their ascendency by himself converting a corner to regain his side’s lead, with Jackson scoring a third for EG a few minutes later.

Although Surbiton were under the cosh, they could still be dangerous. James Tindall replied to Jackson’s goal within seconds. But the Grinners at this stage of the match looked by far the better side, with Mark Gleghorne and Ashley Jackson scoring from penalty corners just before the break to bring the score to 2-5 in their favour.

A game of two halves?  It surely was, with Surbiton exerting far more pressure in the second half and being justly rewarded with two goals from James Tindall to give him his hat-trick.  East Grinstead’s leadership of the table was under real threat, and there was a palpable sigh of relief from their loyal supporters when Gleghorne netted his second from a penalty corner. 

The game was not quite over, with Matt Daly scoring an overtime penalty corner for Surbiton, finishing off what had been a superb and entertaining game of hockey. And, on a very positive note, it seems that Surbiton has transformed itself from the side we once criticised for making hockey look a miserable pastime. Well done to them.  Final score: 5-6 to East Grinstead.

At the other end of the table, Loughborough Students’ 4-2 defeat at the hands of third-placed Reading means that they slip back into the automatic relegation spot. Sheffield Hallam get a reprieve, at least until the relegation play-offs, as a result of a comeback in the last six minutes against Wimbledon. They were 4-2 down away against Wimbledon, when two penalty corner conversions by Mike Shaw, and a field goal from Liam Ansell, gave them a 4-5 win. Hallam finish in ninth place on 11 points, separated by goal difference from Cannock in eighth.

In the other Premier Division match of the day, Canterbury were beaten 3-4 by visiting Hampstead & Westminster.

The promotion play-off place in the East Conference was finally decided this afternoon. Holcombe were three points behind leaders Southgate, but Southgate’s 1-1 draw at Bromley & Beckenham keeps them ahead by one point. Bromley & Beckenham had led for 53 minutes and, with Holcombe’s better goal difference, Southgate’s promotion play-off place looked in jeopardy. It was their Timmy Smyth that finally rescued them.  St Albans were already relegated, and Brighton & Hove were already in the relegation play-off position. 

In the North Conference, Brooklands MU had already won the promotion play-off position and West Bridgford were already relegated. The issue to be decided was the relegation play-off position, with both Belper and Deeside Ramblers on 14 points. , and Khalsa on 16 points.  One of those matches involved two of the teams, with Drew Burkin’s 70^th minute penalty corner conversion giving Belper a 2-1 win and condemning Khalsa to the relegation play-offs. Deeside Ramblers, who had occupied the place until this afternoon, moved up one place after beating Olton & West Warwicks 6-2.

Issues at both ends of the Conference West had still to be decided, with five clubs at the bottom of the table within three points of each other.  In an unfortunate last match of the season meeting for ninth placed Havant, they played Cardiff and Met at home.  A draw might have got Havant out of trouble, and it took 56 minutes before there was any score.  Henry Eriksson’s penalty corner conversion was the only goal of the match, but it secured the Welsh side’s promotion play-off spot and condemned Havant to automatic relegation. The relegation play-off spot goes to Isca, who lost 2-3 to Fareham. Fareham move off the bottom place into seventh, pushing Guildford down into Eighth. Guildford lost 2-0 to second placed Bath Buccanners. 

FULL RESULTS AND TABLES ARE AT www.TalkHockeyRadio.co.uk.  PICTURES FROM THE PREMIER DIVISION MATCH BETWEEN SURBITON AND EAST GRINSTEAD WILL APPEAR SOON AT www.HockeyImages.co.uk.

NO CHANGE TO TABLE CONFIRMS TOP PLACE FOR CANTERBURY. A round-up of today's matches in the Investec Women's League.

That was the season that was.  Or at least that is the end of weekend Investec Women’s League matches for this season. Who are the Champions, and who will qualify for Europe, will be decided in three weeks time at the Championship Play-offs at Reading. Today was all about the bragging rights of having topped the Premier Division table, and qualifying for the promotion play-offs

The end-of-season tussle for top of the Premiership between Canterbury and Reading added a bit of spice to a season that would otherwise have ended on a dull note.  There has not been a change in the table since 22 February. What added an additional element to today’s proceedings was the possibility that the two leaders could end on the same points, with the potential of the league having to consider an appeal by Canterbury to be granted better than a nominal 3-0 win after Olton’s no-show last weekend.  No doubt the League organisers can breathe a sigh of relief after today’s matches.

Canterbury was one point ahead of Reading this morning, but Reading’s goal difference was +38 as opposed to Canterbury’s +22, so they really needed a win to guarantee the top spot.  The Kent side travelled to Clifton where a goal in each half, one from Nicola Lloyd and one from Kimberly Young gave them a 0-2 win and the points they needed.  Meanwhile, things did not seem to be going too well at Reading where Natalie Wray opened the scoring for visiting Bowdon Hightown after only seven minutes. Twenty minutes later Emma Thomas scored a penalty corner Reading and, after that, Reading took control with goals from Rebecca Halle and Sam Quek, and two from Jessica Brooker.

At the bottom end of the table relegated Olton & West Warwicks went down 0-4 to Leicester. Sutton Coldfield, in the relegation play-off spot, lost 0-4 to Leicester. 

In the other Premier Division match, Surbiton beat Beeston 2-0. 

The contenders for the League Championship Play-offs were already known before today’s matches, but just for the record (and in the order that they finished the league) they are Canterbury, Reading, Surbiton and Clifton.

It was also no-change in the Conference North. Brooklands kept their lead by beating Kendal 1-4. They now qualify for the promotion play-offs. At the table’s basement end, Doncaster had an opportunity to avoid automatic relegation. They were three points behind ninth placed Boots, but had a much better goal difference. In the cruellest of blows, Ben Rhydding’s Laura Smith stole Doncaster’s first-half lead with her second of the match. Final score 2-2 and Doncaster are relegated. Just to run salt into the wound, Boots lost 1-0 at Loughborough Students, so they could have been overtaken.  Boots now go into the relegation play-offs. 

All the issues in the Conference West had already been decided before today and there were no changes to the table after this afternoon’s matches.  Leaders, Buckingham, won their match at home to Gloucester City. Buckingham had already qualified for the promotion play-offs.  The bottom of the table meeting between Exe and Barnes ended 2-3 to Barnes.  Exe are relegated and Barnes are in the relegation play-off spot.

We’ve left the best until last, for although Holcombe have run away with the Conference East, the bottom end of the table remained in a state of flux this morning.  Holcombe beat St Albans 0-5 away and have finished 14 point clear at the top of the division.  At the other end of the table there were no less than five clubs who were candidates for relegation or the relegation play-offs.  The final positions hinged on two matches this afternoon. Ipswich put Old Loughtonians to the sword, although they left it relatively late. Goals from Sarah Bamfield and Kathryn Wrinch in the 50^th and 54^th minutes gave Ipswich a 0-2 win and condemns the Loughts to relegation. Ipswich narrowly miss the relegation play-offs by finishing eighth.  That honour goes to Chelmsford, thanks to an early second-half goal from Kat Hales which gave them a 1-0 win against Wimbledon. 

FULL RESULTS AND TABLES CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.TALKHOCKEYRADIO.CO.UK.

EXCITING FINISH IN PROSPECT IN MEN'S PREMIERSHIP. A round-up of today's matches in the NOW:Pensions Men's Hockey League

An exciting finish is in prospect for the Men’s Premier Division, with the leaders neck-and-neck and only one match left to play. 

East Grinstead, who lead Beeston on a much better goal difference, stay top of the table after a win at home to Reading. Grinstead seemed to have this afternoon’s game wrapped up after goals from Ashley Jackson, Mark Pearn and Mark Gleghorn gave them a 3-0 lead.  Tom Carson’s 42 minute goal for Reading was soon wiped out by a Luke Taylor penalty corner, but Reading scored twice more, courtesy of Ben Boon and John Jackson, to finish the match 4-3 in Grinstead’s favour.

Meanwhile, up the M1 in Nottingham, Beeston were beating Loughborough Students 1-4.  Both the Students and bottom placed Sheffield Hallam, have the chance of avoiding relegation, mainly thanks to yesterdays match between Cannock and Surbiton, which Surbiton won 4-6.  This leaves Cannock only one point ahead of Loughborough, who are in ninth place. 

Bottom of the pile Sheffield Hallam narrowly lost to Canterbury after Mickel Pierre scored a 70^th minute winner to push the score to 3-4 in Canterbury’s favour.  Hallam could conceivably win three points next weekend to put them above Loughborough Students.  Two of the three clubs in the danger zone, Cannock and Loughborough, play top sides next weekend (Cannock play Beeston and the Students play Reading).  If anyone has a chance of a win it is Hallam, who play Wimbledon.

Wimbledon had the misfortune of being the side who ended Hampstead & Westminsters run of bad form, losing 3-2 at Paddington Rec.  The result means that Wimbledon drop to sixth place.

Although there are issues still to be decided, the Premier Division has divided itself up neatly into three parts.  There are four clubs (EG, Beeston, Reading and Surbiton) who have qualified for the Championship play-offs, three clubs safe from relegation (Canterbury, Wimbledon and H&W), leaving the bottom three to fight it out for Premier Division survival.

For the second week running, TalkHockeyRadio was at an East Conference match. Our editor used to play for both the clubs in question, namely Brighton & Hove and Bromley & Beckenham, so he had a particular interest in the match. The possibility of Brighton being automatically related was eliminated last night when bottom placed St Albans was beaten 7-0 at Holcombe. Unfortunately, the gap between Brighton in ninth place and Oxted in eighth is too great for them to avoid the relegation play-offs, but at least the match might be a guide to their chances. 

We were surprised to see the familiar face of former GB Women’s and Surbiton men’s coach Jon Royce at Brighton. Apparently he has been retained in an advisory capacity to help Brighton. However, in the first few minutes the match seemed to be going in a predictable direction, with what appeared to be a considerable skills deficit by Brighton compared with their opponents.  But Sam Chivers’ 16^th minute goal for the South Coast side took us all by surprise.  Somehow (and rather appropriately, as you can see the sea from Brighton’s ground) the home side suddenly got the wind in their sails and Chivers scored a second nine minutes later, to be followed just before the break by a goal from their Rupert Ashdown.

A revival by BromBeck was much anticipated but it never came. Four minutes into the second half Ashdown scored again.  Bromley & Beckenham seemed to be getting back into the game, but their scant reward was a penalty stroke conversion which gave a final score of 4-1 to Brighton.  If Brighton play like that in the relegation play-offs, they will survive another season in the England Hockey League.

At the other end of the Conference East, Southgate maintain their three point lead over Holcombe after a 5-0 win over Old Loughtonians yesterday afternoon. Both Holcombe and Southgate face middle-of-the-table opposition next weekend, so the qualifier for the promotion play-offs is still wide open.  Holcombe have a much better goal difference, so a win by them and a defeat to Southgate could reverse their positions.

It is amazing, with only one match to play, that promotion and relegation issues in the Conference West are still wide open. Cardiff and Met stay top after a 2-0 win over Isca, with Bath Buccaneers three points behind them. The Buccaneers won 0-3 away at Cheltenham this afternoon. Realistically, the promotion play-off spot is Cardiff’s, as the Buccaneers goal difference is 12 behind the Welsh side’s. However, the race to the bottom is still tense with the remarkable situation that there are five clubs within three points of each other.  Today’s results made no difference to the bottom of the table, other than maintain the narrow margins.  Top of the five clubs in the danger zone is Cheltenham on 17 points, followed by Guildford on 16. Guildford’s 1-1 draw at home to Indian Gym helped cement them into the seventh place. Below them is Isca with 14 points, ahead of Havant on goal difference. Havant lost 5-3 to University of Exeter this afternoon.  Fareham lost at home to Birmingham University 1-2 and remain in bottom place.

The top of the table clash in the Conference North took place yesterday when leaders Brooklands MU opened the gap between them and second place Bowdon to six points by beating Bowdon 3-2. Consequently Brooklands qualify for the promotion play-offs.  West Bridgford’s chances of survival in the England Hockey League evaporated when they lost 4-3 to Olton & West Warwicks and ninth placed Deeside Ramblers won 2-3 at University of Durham.  This leaves three possible contenders for the relegation play-offs: Khalsa, who drew 0-0 at home to Leek and are in seventh place with 16 points, Belper who won their match against Wakefield 2-4 and are in eighth place on 14 points, and Deeside Ramblers in ninth place with 14 points but with an inferior goal difference.

PICTURES FROM THE EAST CONFERENCE MATCH BETWEEN BRIGHTON & HOVE AND BROMLEY & BECKENHAM ARE ON OUR WEB SITE AT www.HockeyImages.co.uk.  FULL TABLES AND RESULTS ARE ON OUR MAIN WEB SITE AT www.TalkHockeyRadio.co.uk.