In the Womens EHL Promotion tournament Olton & West Warwicks retained their Premier Division place thanks to a 2-0 win over Sevenoaks. Sevenoaks needed to win to pip Olton and it was an even first half with the score 0-0. However Olton got their noses in front early in the second half when Denise Marston-Smith converted a corner. Sevenoaks' efforts to get back into the game were rebuffed by a very resilient Olton defence and they sealed victory with a last minute corner from Lucilla Parkes (nee Wright)
Sutton Coldfield had already secured their Premier Division place and made it three wins out of three in the tournament thanks to a 2-1 defeat of Buckingham. Charlotte Cross scored from a 12th minute corner and Captain Vicky Woolford did likewise in the 38th minute. Buckingham created a number of chances and luck did not run their way but they managed a late consolation from Lauren Thomas.
If the Womens games had been relatively low key the Mens matches burst into action. Canterbury were 2-1 up on Durham University within 15 minutes with a super strike from Liam Foster and a goal from Tom Butt sandwiching Paddy Harman's deflected goal for Durham. The 2-1 scoreline remained until half time. Meanwhile Exeter University were running riot on the other pitch against Southgate who were missing injured captain Dan Shingles and Matt Grinham suspended for the game after two yellows the previous two days. Two corner deflections from Rob Mugridge and two open play goals from James Royce put them 4-0 up at the break.
Into the second half Southgate pulled two early goals back from a Kloess corner and Rob Schilling whilst Durham went on late scoring spree to move from 2-1 down to 5-2 up within the space of 13 minutes - Dan Coultas, Matt Hodgson (2) and Mark Galloway scoring. It became 5-2 on both pitches when Exeter scored through Tom Carson which was how that game finished and that result ensured Exeter's promotion. Southgate watched the last two minutes of the Durham game knowing that two more goals for the Students would see them take second place however it was not to be but in a further twist Durham's Galloway and Canterbury's Michael Farrer were both red carded for second yellow card offences in the final minute.
So Southgate, Exeter University Men and Sutton Coldfield and Olton & West Warwicks Women will play in the EHL Premier Divisions in 2011-12 and the EHL Conferences will now be formed from the other 30 EHL teams.
Source: EHL Media Release
