E


Leicester and Reading win


ngland’s domestic season produced an exciting climax with close-fought championship playoff wins to Reading (men) and Leicester


(women). Reading’s last gasp 5-4 win over East


Grinstead was the pick of the matches. A thoroughly entertaining affair saw East Grinstead take a 3-1 lead early in the second half. Reading hit back twice, before Darren Cheesman put EG back ahead with eight to play. Then came a Euro Hockey League (EHL) style own goal to level for Reading setting up a grand finale with Andy Watts rebounding in a Richard Mantell penalty corner after time had run out. The home fans went nuts as did, justifiably, the players still smarting from a 8-1 thrashing from EG, earlier in the playoff series and another 8-1 loss in March. The women’s final earlier the same day (April 15) also featured Reading but his time the home fans were not so happy as they watched Leicester and GB player Chloe Rogers coolly knock in a decisive sudden death shootout goal – the winner coming after Leicester keeper Maddie Hinch saved from GB compatriot Laura Bartlett on the preceding play. The shootout was to EHL eight seconds to score from the 25-yard-line rules. Hinch had also performed well in the 1-1 draw in regular/extra time and was chosen as player of the final. With 13 GB internationals donning


club colours for the women’s final, it was disappointing to have to wait 59 freezing minutes for the first goal as Lucy Brown put Leicester ahead sliding in front of Reading and GB goalie Beth Storry to deflect a corner high into the net. Reading hit back three minutes later with Amanda Poteiger finishing a well-worked move. To some extent the low scoring was due to the players knowing each other inside out – notably on penalty corners – but whatever the reason, more goals are needed to raise the spectator interest in women’s hockey.


Reflecting on the playoffs as a whole, the current abbreviated playoff system falls short of producing the sustained intensity of the Dutch Hoofdklasse (where best of three series take up most of May). And while it’s possible to


Top – Leicester celebrate their Investec Women’s Hockey League championship with Maddie Hinch opening the bubbly; right – Reading captain Richard Springham lifts the trophy


argue about who deserves what, topping the league after an 18-game season with the prospect of a championship depending on a single game seems to blend chance and pressure in an unholy combination. Leicester, East Grinstead and Reading, as clubs, have all been on the right and wrong-side of the results in recent times, so maybe it’s time for a rethink. The men’s playoff system was changed this year to include an extra round (at the request of the clubs) which was a step forward. But the women’s system remained the same as last year. This, together with the adoption of EHL rules for the playoffs, but not the league season, added to an air of confusion – witness the number of spectator shouts for cards when players played the ball with sticks over their head.


But returning to the main point,


competitions that combine league and knockout elements and have a SINGLE final game aren’t necessarily bad – see the UEFA Champions League. There are also tremendous marketing advantages in having one final. And while a best- of-three finish a la Hoofdklasse would be preferable, this might be possible. However a longer play off series with best-of-three ties leading to a final would be a more appropriate end- of-season competition for hockey in England. And it would produce the sustained and realistic ‘pressure’ we


want our players to experience. If cost and calendar prevent full-blown playoffs, then go back to the old system of league positions. On a far more positive note, the


involvement of Investec in the women’s game continues to impress. With prize money at stake, a strong marketing sense, effective banners and display boards for presentations and even an over-sized zebra statue, their involvement brought an air of professionalism and purpose the Investec Finals Weekend –brilliant.


TC


Men’s final goalscorers – East Grinstead 4 – Mark Pearn 29 (F),David De Prez 38,41 (F,F), Darren Cheeseman 62 (F); Reading 5 – Nick Catlin 9 (F), Chris Newman 49 (F), Richard Springham 61 (PC), Own Goal (64), Andrew Watts 70 (PC). For details see www.pushhockey.co.uk/club


p


All pictures – Andy Smith


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