Clifton thrown a Premiership life line with last second winner.

CLIFTON THROWN A PREMIERSHIP LIFE LINE IN LAST SECOND

Preview and photographs from our reporter John Coxon

As the 2009 2010 Premiership Hockey season moves on to the last two games Leicester look like repeating what Hightown had done last year namely going into the last games having already won the League without losing a single match  and looking invincible on 46 points, 8 points clear of nearest rivals Reading who have Slough biting at their heels just two points behind.

Best newcomers to the Prem this season, University of Birmingham, who won the BUCS 2010 Championship Cup last week, find themselves comfortable, ahead of Prem regulars Canterbury. Brooklands-Poynton, in the third year at top level have developed as a fitter, more attacking side and hoped for a win over struggling Clifton last weekend to cement their place in the league and keep alive the hope of making the European playoffs.  Trojans are already dead in the water.

Once mighty Hightown, whose season has largely been torrid have had a couple of encouraging wins more recently but still in danger of the drop. Due to local weather conditions, it was ironic that they faced a rearranged Sunday game at home to local rivals Poynton in what was to be a crucial relegation battle for them. Last weekend Poynton could be reasonably confident of securing their place facing Clifton who were one off the bottom and came to Manchester fighting for survival.

In that crucial clash, Poynton made a confident start and when Kate Maltman scored early on seven minutes in open play it looked like things were going to script. But Clifton were in fighting mood , dug in and Fleur Horner leveled the score on 13 minutes from a short and it was game on, end to end stuff with superb defending at both ends and the pace didn’t let up till the final whistle. Clifton went in front just before half time with a fine goal from Leah Wilkinson. 

Kate Maltman pulled it back on 49 minutes again in open play and there followed a nail biting last twenty minutes again full on end to end stuff with missed chances, disallowed goals ,shots hitting the posts and short corners broken down. It was to go done to the wire. As the whistle blew Poynton conceded a short corner which was defended but led to another short .Poynton hearts were broken when Fleur Horner found the net in the last second. A blow to Poynton but at least Fleur had given her team the chance of avoiding the relegation play offs.  

Poynton had to find some way of over coming that bitter disappointment in Sunday’s local Derby. It was the experienced ex- England international, Tina Cullen who gave Hightown the lead after just 2 minutes and it took Poynton another twenty minutes to level the score with Cat Savage scoring from a short corner. Poynton came out in the second half hit a purple patch dominating Hightown with fine open play culminating in goals from Kayleigh Humphrey’s ( 43 mins) and Helen Armishaw (56 mins) who have both been stand out players this season and with just 13 minutes to go, at 3-1 it should have been game over. But Hightown would not lie down and courtesy of a short corner goal from Tina Cullen on 59 minutes and then an open play score from Sara-Jo-Coakley on 63 minutes it was honours even. But any fears of a similar unhappy ending as in the Clifton game were allayed five minutes before time with Pippa Jones and Katie Maltman combining for Maltman to strike home the winner.

Poynton travel south this weekend with a tough ask to take on third placed Slough at Upton Court Road. Previously Slough had held current runaway division leaders Leicester to a one  all draw but had trounced Trojans  and Clifton and also beaten Canterbury 4-1 last weekend. University of Birmingham have a home game against Canterbury having beaten Trojans 4-0 the previous weekend. Olton had an 8-1 whipping at the hands of Leicester and next face Hightown at South Downs Road. Reading are away to Clifton and that follows their recent 3-1 win over Hightown and having previously recorded convincing 5-1 wins at Poynton and Olton. Leicester play host to relegated Trojans who have crashed 4-0 in recent games against Clifton and University of Birmingham and have yet to win a game.

More pictures from the game here  CLIFTON v POYNTON