The final weeks of the women's Premiership is looking to be one of the most interesting for several seasons. Leicester seem to have the Championship sewn up already, a position confirmed by their 3-0 win over the University of Birmingham this afternoon. But what is proving to be the intriguing contest is the race for second place, with the contenders only split on goal difference.
Slough forced Reading into third place today after an emphatic win over bottom place Trojans, with Ashleigh Ball, Louise Bevan, Harriet Cunningham, Jane Smith (2), Lauren Penny and Fiona Greenham (2) all getting their names on the score sheet in their 9-1 win. Reading may have thought they had done enough to maintain a favourable goal difference when they defeated Olton & West Warwicks 5-1, but they slip to third with a goal difference of +21 as opposed to Slough's +23.
Canterbury did not help Clifton's situation near the foot of the table by defeating them 2-1 at Polo Farm, with Natasha Brennan and Jenny Hall scoring for Canterbury. Clifton are in the play-off slot, one point behind Bowdon Hightown, who did not play today and have two games in hand.
In the Women's East Conference, Ipswich's bid to return to the Premiership at the first attempt is under threat from Sevenoaks. The Kent side picked up three points with a 2-1 win at Cambridge City, reducing the margin between them to two points. Ipswich could only draw away at lowly Northampton Saints.
In the North, Durham University maintain their five point lead over Sutton Coldfield, although the latter has a game in hand. In the West, both the leaders won their matches today. Cannock and Barnes remain separated on goal difference.
It has not been a good day today for Bowdon Hightown in the EUROPEAN INDOOR CLUBS CHAMPIONSHIPS in Sumy. Bowdon started this morning in third place in the pool after winning one of their two matches, but playing their final pool match this morning they went down 3-1 to Club de Campo. One saving grace is that they have gone into the relegation pool with three points acquired from their win over Bonagrass Grove yesterday, but in their first relegation pool match they were defeated by the Lithuanian side Gintra Stretke Uni 6-1.
On our calculations, three of the four sides in the relegation pool are on three points, with Bonagrass Grove and Bowdon Hightown occupying the two relegation slots by virtue of goal difference. Bowdon have to play Ritm Grodno in their final match tomorrow. It seems likely that only a win will avoid Leicester playing in the Trophy version of the tournament next year.
ENGLAND HOCKEY LEAGUE RESULTS AND TABLES FOR 27/2/10
Women's Premier Division:
Canterbury |
| (1) |
| 2 | - | 1 |
| (1) |
| Clifton |
Natasha Brennan 12 - F |
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| Carys Hopkins 18 - F | |
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Leicester |
| (1) |
| 3 | - | 0 |
| (0) |
| University of Birmingham |
Lauren Turner 19 - F |
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Olton & West Warwicks |
| (1) |
| 1 | - | 5 |
| (2) |
| Reading |
Naomi James 35 - PC |
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| Claire Kerr 6 40 - F F | |
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Trojans |
| (0) |
| 1 | - | 8 |
| (5) |
| Slough |
Heather Batten 57 - PC |
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| Ashleigh Ball 3 - F | |
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| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
1 | Leicester | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 6 | 41 | 42 |
2 | Slough | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 43 | 20 | 23 | 32 |
3 | Reading | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 45 | 24 | 21 | 32 |
4 | Canterbury | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 32 | 23 | 9 | 19 |
5 | Olton & West Warwicks | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 23 | -4 | 19 |
6 | Brooklands Poynton | 13 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 18 | 27 | -9 | 16 |
7 | University of Birmingham | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 26 | 28 | -2 | 15 |
8 | Bowdon Hightown | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 21 | 32 | -11 | 9 |
9 | Clifton | 14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 14 | 40 | -26 | 8 |
10 | Trojans | 14 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 50 | -42 | 1 |
Women's Conference East |
Cambridge City |
| (0) |
| 1 | - | 2 |
| (1) |
| Sevenoaks |
Kellie-Lee James 53 - F |
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| Cathy Gilliat-Smith 18 - F | |
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Horsham |
| (0) |
| 0 | - | 0 |
| (0) |
| Old Loughtonians |
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Chelmsford |
| (1) |
| 1 | - | 0 |
| (0) |
| Southgate |
Kat Letts 27 - PC |
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Northampton Saints |
| (1) |
| 1 | - | 1 |
| (1) |
| Ipswich |
Esther Keijbets 10 - PS |
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| Emma Millar 30 - F | |
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St. Albans |
| (0) |
| 0 | - | 3 |
| (1) |
| Harleston Magpies |
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| Verity Blyth 35 - F | ||
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| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
1 | Ipswich | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 10 | 24 | 33 |
2 | Sevenoaks | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 14 | 12 | 31 |
3 | Harleston Magpies | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 26 | 10 | 16 | 26 |
4 | Chelmsford | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 25 |
5 | Horsham | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 26 | 14 | 12 | 24 |
6 | Old Loughtonians | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 20 |
7 | Cambridge City | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 30 | -13 | 11 |
8 | St. Albans | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 33 | -15 | 11 |
9 | Southgate | 14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 27 | -17 | 8 |
10 | Northampton Saints | 14 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 35 | -24 | 7 |
Women's Conference North |
Beeston |
| (1) |
| 1 | - | 3 |
| (0) |
| University of Durham |
Shona Mccallin 5 - F |
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| Louisa Boddy 43 - PC | |
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Belper |
| (4) |
| 5 | - | 1 |
| (0) |
| Loughborough Students |
Charlotte Hobbs 2 - F |
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| Amy Turnbull 60 - PC | |
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Doncaster |
| (1) |
| 3 | - | 5 |
| (3) |
| Sutton Coldfield |
Abbie Brant 25 - PC |
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| Jane Sixsmith 9 - F | |
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Liverpool Sefton |
| (0) |
| 1 | - | 2 |
| (2) |
| Wakefield Bradford |
Sarah Ingham 68 - F |
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| Cat Horn 7 - F | |
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Sunderland Ladies |
| (5) |
| 7 | - | 0 |
| (0) |
| Sheffield Hallam |
Julie Hope 10 - PC |
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| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
1 | University of Durham | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 9 | 26 | 37 |
2 | Sutton Coldfield | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 49 | 19 | 30 | 32 |
3 | Belper | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 30 | 17 | 13 | 23 |
4 | Wakefield Bradford | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 25 | -1 | 20 |
5 | Loughborough Students | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 21 | 31 | -10 | 16 |
6 | Beeston | 13 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 30 | 36 | -6 | 15 |
7 | Doncaster | 14 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 30 | 37 | -7 | 15 |
8 | Sheffield Hallam | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 48 | -32 | 14 |
9 | Sunderland Ladies | 13 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 13 |
10 | Liverpool Sefton | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 22 | 35 | -13 | 12 |
Women's Conference West |
Aldridge |
| (2) |
| 3 | - | 1 |
| (0) |
| Staines |
Susie Ellerton 9 - PC |
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| Rosemary Evans 65 - PC | |
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Barnes Hounslow Ealing |
| (1) |
| 3 | - | 2 |
| (2) |
| Swansea |
Triona Doyle 34 58 - F F |
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| Rosie Bailey 5 - F | |
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Cannock |
| (1) |
| 5 | - | 2 |
| (0) |
| Bournemouth |
Becky Machin 29 - F |
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| Sarah Brimyard 40 - F | |
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Firebrands |
| (0) |
| 1 | - | 4 |
| (1) |
| Buckingham |
Laura Bridge 56 - F |
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| Katrina Nicholson 28 - F | |
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Team Bath Buccaneers |
| (0) |
| 1 | - | 1 |
| (1) |
| Exe |
Jo Slade 62 - F |
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| Linda Webb 24 - F | |
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| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
1 | Cannock | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 23 | 28 | 35 |
2 | Barnes Hounslow Ealing | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 34 | 14 | 20 | 35 |
3 | Exe | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 35 | 20 | 15 | 26 |
4 | Buckingham | 13 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 31 | 25 | 6 | 24 |
5 | Staines | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 26 | 24 | 2 | 18 |
6 | Firebrands | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 22 | 31 | -9 | 16 |
7 | Team Bath Buccaneers | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 21 | 27 | -6 | 12 |
8 | Aldridge | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 43 | -25 | 12 |
9 | Swansea | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 17 | 29 | -12 | 10 |
10 | Bournemouth | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 16 | 35 | -19 | 10 |
