BRISTOL & West Hockey Club Men’s 3rd team are celebrating promotion – but the 1sts were unable to survive in the West Premiership.
The 3rds needed at least a point in their local derby against Yate 2s to secure the league title on the last day of the season; Bristol UWE 1s were three points behind but with a superior goal difference.
The Mangotsfield-based 3s were solely focused on their own game, and it paid off with a thumping 10-0 victory.
The team won 20 and lost only two of their 22 games, finishing with 60 points on the board and a plus 72 goal difference.
The 3s will now move into a league at an equal level to the 2nd team, who will try to escape their league again next year after finishing fourth.
The Men’s 1st team were unable to survive in the West Premiership.
After a promising start, which saw them float around mid-table and gain impressive victories over former national league teams such as Plymouth and a double over eventual runners-up Cheltenham, the lads found themselves in a relegation scrap.
The league proved to be tighter than ever, with just eight points separating sixth place from 11th.
B&W’s 21 points would have been enough to ensure survival in the last few years, but was four points short this season.
It’s a sad moment, but the lads are focused on bouncing back and making a quick return to a league where they know they are more than capable of competing.
All of the B&W Ladies’ teams had mid-table finishes after moving into new leagues, apart from the 1st team, who went into the last game of the season with a chance of promotion.
Three teams were tied on points and B&W Jaspers 1s were playing top-of-the-table Keynsham. After going a goal down, they managed to pull a late goal back to earn a 1-1 draw – but it wasn’t enough.
The other fixture involving a top-three team also ended in a draw and, with all three finishing on 39 points, Keynsham won the title on goal difference, with the Jaspers gutted to miss out.
They will be looking to put on a promotion charge again next season.
The club is now looking ahead to the Bristol Summer League, with more social-orientated evening games, from mid-May to the end of June.
If you’re looking for a new club to join, getting back into hockey or just interested in giving it a go, visit the club website at www.bandwhc.org.uk.
Harry Bryant