Hockey: Sunderland remain hopeful

Apr 1 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

SUNDERLAND saw their Women’s National League Division One title hopes ended at the weekend, but are still firmly in the running for promotion.

Amy Sheehan’s goal three minutes after the restart guaranteed hosts Trojans the title, but Sunderland could yet join them in women’s hockey’s top division next season. They will reach the play-offs by completing the double over Birmingham University in next week’s final game of the season.

Doing so will earn them a one-off game against the ninth-placed team in this season’s Premier Division – probably Cheshire club Poynton – to decide who plays there in 2008-09. With their goal difference poorer than third-placed Reading, Sunderland will need Sutton Coldfield to do them a favour if they fail to beat the students. Durham University withstood a Doncaster fightback to win 3-2 at Maiden Castle on Saturday.

Amy Askew scored Durham’s winner three minutes after Charlotte Tomlin had pulled the scores back to 2-2. Clare Whitworth and Cat Horn put the students 2-0 in front in the opening 11 minutes, only to let their lead slip. The result guarantees Durham will finish their first season in the division in eighth place.

Whitley Bay and Tynemouth were on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline at home to Cannock in the North Division, but were nevertheless pleased with their performance against the league champions. Bay felt they had matched their visitors for skill and pace, and applied most of the pressure in the second half. But while Bay missed a second-half penalty, Cannock were clinical in front of goal, converting two penalty corners.

The North East side have dropped to fifth but could finish as high as second if they beat relegation-threatened Sheffield Hallam, though it would need an unlikely sequence of results.

Durham University men are waiting to find their final opponents in the play-offs to reach the men’s National League. They travel to western champions Cardiff on April 20.

RESULTS

WOMEN – National League Division One: Durham University 3, Doncaster 2; Trojans 1, Sunderland 0. North Division: Whitley Bay & Tynemouth 0, Cannock 4. Northern League Division One: Broom 1, Lancaster 0; Berwick 1, Driffield 3.