Investec Women's Hockey League report and results
15th February 2014CANTERBURY overtook Surbiton and moved to the top of the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division with a 2-0 win over Sutton Coldfield on Saturday.
They scored a goal in each half through Kim Young and Mel Clewlow to take the three points and are now a point clear of Reading with a game in hand.
Reading did all they could to keep the pressure on as they racked up their tenth win in 14 games. First half goals from Liz Hunt and Emma Thomas sealed a 2-1 win over University of Birmingham.
The result sees Reading go above Surbiton who lost out 2-0 at Leicester. Vanessa Hawkins and Katie Long were on target for Leicester who retain their place in the play-off positions.
Bowdon Hightown’s bid for a top four spot is still on track with a solitary Tina Cullen goal proving enough to get the better of Beeston.
Clifton are another team with an eye on a top four finish and are just a single point behind Bowdon Hightown after a 4-0 win over basement club Olton and West Warwickshire.
The game was goalless at the break but Olton’s resistance was broken two minutes after the restart with Els Mansell firing home. Further goals from Steph Addison, Harriet Pearce and Zoe Leach followed.
Slough are just one point behind Buckingham in the Investec Conference West after grinding out a 1-0 win over Isca, courtesy of a penalty stroke from Amy Sheehan. Buckingham had their game against Oxford Hawks called off due to high winds but they have still played the same number of games as Slough.
Brooklands Poynton replaced Wakefield as the leaders of the Investec Conference North after beating them in a tight 1-0 game. Nikki Tipping’s 35th minute strike separated the two sides and Brooklands are now two points clear at the top. This was Wakefield’s first loss of the campaign.
And in the Investec Conference East Holcombe extended their lead with a 4-0 win over Chelmsford.
League Finals Weekend
The winners of the Investec Women’s Hockey League and the NOW: Pensions Men’s Hockey League will be crowned over two action-packed weekends at Reading Hockey Club in April. The top four Premier Division teams qualify for their respective finals weekends, laying off against each other to be crowned league champions.
The men’s finals will take place on the 5-6 April while the women will battle it out a week later from 12-13 April.