Sheffield Hockey Club

Wimbledon beat Sheffield Hallam 2-1 to finish top of the NOW: Pensions Men’s Hockey League Promotion Tournament table and secure a spot in the top flight next season.

But despite the loss Sheffield Hallam’s superior goal difference over Cardiff & UWIC sees them also gain promotion to the NOW: Pensions Premier Division as runners-up.

Wimbledon enjoyed early pressure but Sheffield’s defence stood firm until the 24th minute when a slick move ended with Johnny Kinder’s neat finish to make it 1-0.

The London side continued to push forward and won a succession of penalty corners but couldn’t find a second goal.

However, after the break they did create some breathing space when dazzling individual skills from John Harris saw him fire home on 40 minutes.

Sheffield knew that they would be promoted if they could keep Wimbledon from winning by five goals but there was no sign of a defensive mentality from the Yorkshire side and they went looking for a way back into the game.

Their attitude paid off with five minutes left on the clock as Mike Shaw stepped up to rifle the ball in from a corner to make it 2-1. His flick was right in the corner and had enough power to find the net despite a fine effort from Millington who managed to get a stick on the ball but could not keep it out.

Wimbledon held on to take all three points but both teams could celebrate knowing that they had done enough to secure promotion.

Sheffield Hallam’s Phil Roper said afterwards: “It’s fantastic to get to play in the NOW: Pensions Premier Division next season. It wasn’t quite the result we wanted today, but given the result of the other game we knew going in that we were almost there.

“Our ambitions as a club are big over the next four or five years - we’ve worked really hard to get to where we are and we can’t wait to play the top teams next season.”

The previous day four goals from Hallam’s Phil Roper were not enough to give his side their second consecutive playoff win as Cardiff’s resistance ensured the promotion places will go right down to the wire. 

Roper opened the scoring with a trademark penalty corner, beating Ben Dudley high to his right early on.

The game had a higher pace and intensity than the game which had preceded it, but as with the first match of the day, chances were hard to come by. Cardiff notched their equaliser after a turnover in the Sheffield half. Luke Hawker robbed Brendan Creed and got to the baseline where his cutback came to nothing due to a heavy stick tackle by a Hallam defender, resulting in a penalty stroke. Tim Jones sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and it was all square.

Immediately after Hallam restored their lead. Roper showed he is more than just a penalty corner specialist by hitting a lovely reverse-stick shot into the far corner giving the goalkeeper no chance. Mark Whatling sent a penalty corner wide of the post as Cardiff tried to force their way back into the match. They managed to do just that albeit with a  stroke of good fortune. A long cross into the D from Whatling missed everyone, except goalkeeper Simon Hujwan, the ball clipping his foot and going in for an own goal.

The see-saw nature of the game continued as Hallam were awarded a stroke which, despite Dudley’s interesting antics in goal, Roper held his nerve to score. Jones blazed a late chance over the bar and that was half time.

The second half picked up where the first had left off. Both teams showed a lot of attacking ambition and it was cut and thrust as Sheffield tried to put the game out of Cardiff’s reach. Cardiff actually struck back to level the game at 3-3. Rich Howson produced a lovely slapped finish as he fell, lifting the ball over the goalkeeper and into the net.

Roper almost added another but his flick was cleared off the line by Chris Shaw, and he was further frustrated when Dudley made a good diving save from another penalty corner. Roper was not to be denied for long, as from yet another penalty corner he found the roof of the net with a fierce flick to make it 4-3. It was starting to look like Hallam would maintain their 100% record but with time running out Liam Brignull turned the ball over inside the Hallam 25, with the goalkeeper closing him down, Brignull produced an outrageous finish, looping the ball high over the goalkeeper’s head, dropping just under the bar for 4-4.

Roper almost had the last word with another reverse stick effort saved by the goalkeeper, but it was to end honours even