Hockey: Guildford rise to shock champions
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Your support makes all the difference.The National League ended yesterday in a day of high scoring and a number of surprises, not least the home defeat of the champions, Cannock. Danny Hall gave Guildford the lead in the 14th minute but Cannock fought back with goals from Phil Sully, Chris Mayer and Andy Brogdon to go into the interval leading 3-1. With Ian Jennings and Guy Fordham then both scoring twice and Hall collecting a second, Guildford ran out comfortable winners.
The second-placed Reading showed no compassion winning 4-0 away at St Albans, who must now play off against Beeston to secure their Premiership place.
At Surbiton, for 45 minutes a 12th minute penalty stroke miss by Jimmy Wallis was beginning to look very expensive. But Wallis made amends in the 57th minute to put his side into the lead before they ran over a tiring Teddington to win 5-1. With Loughborough Students beaten at home 5-4 by Canterbury, Surbiton would in any case have had home advantage for their Premiership play-off against the Students.
In the First Division, Old Loughtonians finished their season off in grand style with a 7-3 win against Barford Tigers as their former player-coach Nicky Thompson scored four times. The Old Boys not only achieved their goal of returning to the Premiership at their first attempt but were the only side in the National League to finish unbeaten.
Although Beeston were held to a 3-3 draw by Chelmsford they secured second place as Firebrands went down 2-1 at Stourport. Bowdon, the Second Division champions in their first season in the National League, suffered their only defeat of the season when they surrendered an early lead to go down 3-1 to Hounslow and Ealing at Chiswick.
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