Sutton Coldfield made it a hat trick of giant killings when they defeated Clifton this weekend to progress to the last four of the Women's Cup. And Surbiton also pulled off a shock as they defeated England Hockey League (EHL) Premier Division club Reading.
For Sutton Coldfield, from the EHL Women's Conference North, the reward for defeating yet another Premier Division side is a home tie against Surbiton in the semi finals. Sarah Mills and Jane Sixsmith each scored a brace as they sealed their place in the last four with a 4-2 victory at Clifton.
Surbiton, who play their league hockey in Conference East, caused an upset themselves as they defeated Reading thanks to a Vicky Bryant goal 15 minutes from time to clinch a 3-2 victory. The results and the semi final draw that pitches Sutton Coldfield and Surbiton together guarantees a team from outside the Premier Division will compete in this season's Women's Cup Final in May.
The other semi final will be an all-Premier Division affair when Bowdon Hightown hosts University of Birmingham. Cup Champions in 2006, 2007 and 2009, Bowdon Hightown progressed through the quarter finals with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Olton & West Warwickshire thanks to two goals apiece from Tina Cullen and Fay Nash.
University of Birmingham squeezed past Buckingham in their quarter final with Sophie Bray making up for her earlier penalty miss when she scored her second goal of the match, the golden goal, in a 2-1 victory. The students will be looking to make the final after missing out in the semi finals in the previous two seasons.
The draw in full can be seen below.
Women's Cup Semi Final Draw
Ties to be played Sunday 27 March 2011
Bowdon Hightown v University of Birmingham
Sutton Coldfield v Surbiton
EH LEAGUE NEWS UPDATE
Leicester stay one point clear at the top of the Womens Premier Division after a 5-1 win at
Midlands rivals Olton. However the scoreline does not give a true reflection of the game as it stood at 1-1 with just 12 minutes to go when Christa Cullen opened the floodgates and Leicester powered home a further three goals before the final whistle.
Second placed Canterbury were made to work hard for a 2-1 home win over Bowdon Hightown with Susannah Townsend scoring both their goals. As a result Hightown slip from third to fifth overtaken by Slough, who beat Cannock 2-1 and The University of Birmingham, 4-3 winners at
Ipswich have regained the lead in Womens Conference East that they lost at the restart after the winter break thanks to a 5-1 win at bottom of the table Dereham. Previous leaders Sevenoaks dropped two points in a 1-1 draw at
Ipswich therefore now have a one point advantage.
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The Women’s North Conference leaders Sutton Coldfield recorded an emphatic 4-1 win over
Sunderland which keeps them two points clear at the top and also looks to have signalled an end to the Wearsiders title hopes. Second placed Loughborough Students were in even more free scoring mode beating lowly Aldridge & Walsall 8-1. The weather beat Bradford Wakefield and their match against Beeston will now be rearranged. The North Conference saw the only two hat-trick heroines of the day with
Doncaster who equalised in the last minute.
Isca
University stay three points clear in Women’s Conference West thanks to a 3-1 win over Firebrands. Second placed Buckingham kept up the pressure with a 5-0 defeat of bottom of the table Worcester who are marooned at the foot of the table.
Hightown's Fay Nash |
Liecester & England Crista Cullen |
