This weekend marked the pinnacle of the season for South Berkshires hockey squads, as three teams vied for league titles while another sought to stave off relegation.
At Cantley Park, the Men’s 3rd team kicked off proceedings with a match against Maidenhead. Despite having their promotion hopes dashed weeks ago, Berkshire secured a commanding 7-3 victory over the winless Maidenhead side. Goals from Mike Longstone, Chris Priddle, Thomas Nance, Alex Cook, and a brace from Kav Nijjer solidified their hold on 3rd place in the division.
Following suit were the Men’s 2nd team, comfortably placed 8th in the standings, facing off against 3rd-placed Windsor. With little at stake for either side, the match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Rob Pace netting Berk’s sole goal, finishing the season as the 2nd team’s top scorer.
The first of two crucial title-deciding matches commenced with the Ladies 5th team squaring off against Amersham. With only a point separating them from second-placed Wycombe, Berkshire swiftly dispatched their opponents with a 5-0 victory, clinching the league title by a single point.
The Men’s 6th team, buoyed by the preceding celebrations, tackled Newbury in a must-win fixture. Leading second-placed Slough by a mere point, Berkshire faced intense pressure. However, a hat-trick from Jack Hitchens, supplemented by goals from Max Hammond and James Gibbs, secured a tense 5-3 victory and the league title by a point.
The remaining Berkshire teams wrapped up their final fixtures away from home. The Ladies 4th team triumphed over Scarlet Runners with a 2-0 win, claiming the title by a single point over Reading. Meanwhile, the Ladies 1st team settled for a 2-2 draw against Haslemere, maintaining fourth place in the league.
The Men’s 4th team concluded their season with a resounding 6-1 win over Windsor, securing third place in the standings. The Ladies 2nd team suffered an 8-0 defeat against Reading but preserved their league position from relegation. In a crucial match, the Ladies 3rd team narrowly defeated Amersham 1-0, escaping relegation by a single point as Henley fell 3-0.
Berkshire’s Men’s 5th team breezed past bottom club Maidenhead with a 5-1 victory, finishing in 8th place. The Men’s 1st team wrapped up their inaugural campaign in the top division with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Bournemouth, securing a 10th-place finish in the league.