With still one match to play tomorrow, Southgate has won
promotion back to the NOW:Pensions Premier Division after an absence of one
season.
Playing relegation-threatened Sheffield Hallam at the
Promotion Play-offs at Reading this morning, a goalless first half was followed
by two penalty strokes in short order, both converted by Southgate’s Rick Gay,
early in the second half. Callum Burden
added a third to give Southgate a 0-3 win.
Discipline seems to have been a problem in this match, with Hallam’s
David Bond, David Goodfield and Mike Shaw, plus Southgate’s Joe Sterlini, all
receiving yellow cards.
In the other Promotion Play-off match this afternoon,
Brooklands MU also made a strong bid to return to the Premier Division with a
win over West Conference champions Cardiff & Met. David Flanagan had given
Brooklands a 22nd minute lead, only to see the lead wiped out less
than a minute later by Cardiff’s Liam Brignull. The winner came from Brookland’s
Aiden Khares with eight minutes of play left. Final score, 1-2 to Brooklands
MU.
Southgate play Brooklands MU in the final match of the
play-offs tomorrow, followed by the match between Sheffield Hallam and Cardiff
& Met. The second promotion slot is a toss-up between Brooklands, who
already have four points, and Sheffield Hallam who need to beat Cardiff and Met
by a significant margin to take the position.
Promotion Play-offs after two matches: 1. Southgate 6 pts (+4), 2. Brooklands MU 4
pts (+1), 3. Sheffield Hallam 1 pt (-3), 4. Cardiff & Met 0 pts (-2).
Today’s relegation play-off match between Isca and Khalsa
was marred by two red cards, one to Khalsa’s Anit Chudasama, and the other to
Isca’s Tom Whitworth. Whitworth had earlier scored Isca’s second goal in their
4-1 win, their other goals coming from Tom Poustie (2) and Simon Tremlet. David
Harris had scored a later consolation goal for Khalsa. Isca has now played both their matches,
leaving East Conference Brighton & Hove in with a chance of retaining their
East Conference status. They travel to Khalsa next Sunday.
Relegation play-off table: 1. Brighton (P1) 3 pts (+3), 2. Isca (P2) 3
pts (+0), 3. Khala (P1) 0 pts (-3).
In the Investec Women’s League relegation play-offs saw
Chelmsford start their second escape attempt in two seasons with a valuable win
over Barnes. Chelmsford found the net
twice in the match, with a goal in each half, the first coming from Kate Maxey
and the second from Kat Hales. The win
pushes them to the top of the pool on goal difference. Next Sunday they visit
Boots, who lost to Barnes last week.
Relegation play-off table.
1. Chelmsford (P1) 3 pts (+2), 2. Barnes (P2) 3 pts (-1), 3. Boots (P1)
0 pts (-1).
