A super second and final meeting of the Horsham Primary Schools Hockey League tonight on the Tanbridge astroturf. Kingslea and Leechpool B both started on 28 points at the top of the table and a battle royale was engaged for the title.
Leechpool B did not play the first round but were delighted to watch mid-table North Heath A put a major dent in Kingslea’s hopes with a surprise 2-1 win. First blood Leechpool B but that Kingslea consolation goal scored 15 seconds before the final whistle and gaining a losing bonus point for a score of 50% or more of their opponent’s would prove important.
Kingslea then regained their mojo with a 3-0 win over the unpredictable St Mary’s, Horsham team before going head to head with their title rivals. Just like last week they could not be split, this time fighting out a scoreless draw.
On the home straight of matches the contrasting styles of the two leading protagonists was never more evident. Free scoring Kingslea rattled up 15 goals in three big wins whilst Leechpool B were content to more rely on their defensive solidity, not conceding any goals but being content to build their points total with 1-0 wins and 0-0 draws.
With one more round of games it looked like the Leechpool B approach would turn out the more prudent as they held a one point lead in the table. In their last game Leechpool B would face the much improved North Heath A team whilst Kingslea would play the bottom placed team North Heath B. As expected Kingslea did their bit with an 8-0 win but if Leechpool B won their match it was out of their hands. As it turned out Leechpool could only manage another 0-0 draw; Kingslea’s late surge had made them champions.
North Heath A’s unbeaten second night saw them leap over St Mary’s into third place. St Mary’s had to be content with fourth after another night of good, bad and ugly results. Leechpool A fifth and unlikely to be popular with their B team pals next week after fighting out a 0-0 draw with that deprived them of two crucial points. A much improved Castlewood second outing elevated them out of bottom spot into sixth and within touching distance of fifth. North Heath B at the bottom but gave some plucky performances such as only losing to Leechpool B 1-0.
RESULTS
| PITCH 1 | PITCH 2 | PITCH 3 |
4.08-4.21 | Castlewood 1 v 0 Leechpool A | North Heath A 2 v 1 Kingslea | St Mary’s 4 v 0 North Heath B |
4.24-4.37 | Kingslea 3 v 0 St Mary’s | Leechpool A 0 v 1 North Heath A | Leechpool B 1 v 0 Castlewood |
4.40-4.53 | Leechpool B 0 v 0 Kingslea | Castlewood 1 v 0 North Heath B | North Heath A 0 v 0 St Mary’s |
4.56-5.09 | North Heath B 0 v 5 North Heath A | Kingslea 4 v 0 Castlewood | Leechpool A 0 v 0 Leechpool B |
5.12-5.25 | Leechpool A 2 v 0 North Heath B | Leechpool B 1 v 0 St Mary’s | Castlewood 0 v 2 North Heath A |
5.28-5.41 | St Mary’s 0 v 1 Castlewood | North Heath B 0 v 1 Leechpool B | Kingslea 3 v 0 Leechpool A |
5.44-5.57 | North Heath A 0 v 0 Leechpool B | St Mary’s 0 v 1 Leechpool A | North Heath B 0 v 8 Kingslea |
FINAL TABLE
HOCKEY LEAGUE | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Goals for | Goals against | Points |
Kingslea | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 31 | 3 | 53 |
Leechpool B | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 3 | 52 |
North Heath A | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 8 | 41 |
St Mary’s | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 34 |
Leechpool A | 12 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 15 | 30 |
Castlewood | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 28 |
North Heath B | 12 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 36 | 16 |