L1 Win Promotion Back To Super 6s Premier Division
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Ladies won promotion back to the Super Sixes Premier Division, going up as Division One champions.
Surbiton had virtually clinched promotion with two games to play due to their massive goal difference advantage, but made sure with a 5-0 win over Cambridge City before drawing their last game, 2-2 with Gloucester City.
Needing a point, Surbiton had to wait until the 13th minute before breaking down the Cambridge City defence, Maddie Long opening the scoring. Holly Payne doubled Surbiton's lead in the 23rd minute before Long struck again two minutes later to put Surbiton in control.
Alice Sharp scored Surbiton's fourth goal at the end of the third quarter and Long completed her hat-trick in the 32nd minute.
Surbiton were confirmed as champions when Sevenoaks and Guildford drew 5-5, a result which ultimately confirmed that Sevenoaks would be joining Surbiton in the top flight.
Surbiton were unable to complete the grand slam, being held to a 2-2 draw by Gloucester City, who ended up relegated to Division 2 with the University of Birmingham.
Gloucester City trailed 2-0 at half time, Steph Elliott scoring an early goal in the second minute and Payne converting a penalty corner at the end of the second quarter. But a 24th minute goal by Megan Brazil and an equaliser from Jess Thomas in the penultimate minute earned Gloucester an unlikely point, but wasn't enough to save them from relegation, as they could also only draw with relegation candidates Cambridge City, who finished a point ahead in seventh place.
In the Premier Division, Surbiton will replace Holcombe and Wimbledon who were relegated from the Premier Division, Wimbledon being relegated on goal difference from Leicester.
More information about Division One, including match sheets and competition statistics can be found at the England Hockey Altius website here