EH Champs Finals Insight: Saturday 10 July

Lymm and Broxbourne will battle it out to lift the first trophy of the day when they contest the Women’s Club Plate at 09:30.

Both sides have put in impressive displays on their route to Nottingham Hockey Centre, with the two boasting unwavering defences that have only conceded one goal between them.

The steadfast defence shown by both teams will be put to the test in Saturday’s final in what looks set to be an evenly matched encounter that could go either way.

How they got to the final:

Lymm: 4-0 v Southport, 1-0 v Loughborough Town, 2-0 v City of Birmingham

Broxbourne: 2-0 v St Neots, 3-1 v Spencer, 1-0 v Knole Park

It certainly hasn’t all been plain sailing for Didsbury Northern, who had to rely on a penalty shootout in their previous two rounds in order to progress to the final after consecutive draws against Burton and Taunton Vale. However, on both occasions the team prevailed and will hope to ease nerves and take a regular time victory over Old Cranleighans when they meet in the Men’s O40s Club Plate final.

Old Cranleighans come into the match having recorded impressive back-to-back 3-0 wins over Teddington and Folkestone Optimist in their opening matches. After only conceding one goal on their journey to the final, Old Cranleighans will be hoping that their previously robust defence will stand firm against a Didsbury Northern side that hammered in nine goals in their first two matches.

How they got to the final:

Didsbury Northern: 6-2 v Timperley, 3-0 v Norton, 0-0 v Burton (3-0 penalty shootout win), 3-3 v Taunton Vale (2-0 penalty shootout victory)

Old Cranleighans: 3-0 v Teddington, 3-0 v Folkestone Optimist, 2-1 v Harleston Magpies

Bournville looked consistently formidable in attack as they plundered at least five goals in every match on their way to the final – recording 22 goals in just four matches.

Old Georgians more than matched that with a whopping 25 goals in the same number of games to tee up what looks set to be a thrilling conclusion to the Mixed Plate final.

How they got to the final:

Bournville: 6-0 v Solihull Blossomfield, 5-3 v Old Halesonians, 6-1 v Tamworth, 5-1 v Driffield

Old Georgians: 3-0 v London Edwardians, 5-2 v Gore Court, 7-2 v Havering, 10-1 v Alton

Khalsa Leamington were involved in several hard-fought, entertaining bouts to begin their journey to the final. Their first two matches were locked at 3-2 going into half-time after an exhilarating start, whilst it was an eight goal second-half blitz as the side narrowly surpassed Isca in an absolute thriller.

They’ll face an impressive looking Hampstead & Westminster side that, whilst recorded confident victories over Cheshunt, Chelmsford, and Norwich City, were made to work hard in their final match against Guildford to cling onto a narrow 2-1 victory to progress to the Men’s O40s Championship final.

How they got to the final:

Khalsa Leamington: 5-2 v Old Silhillians, 6-2 v Cheltenham, 5-3 v Isca, 1-0 v Kingstone-upon-Hull

Hampstead & Westminster: 8-0 v Cheshunt, 3-0 v Chelmsford, 2-1 v Amersham & Chalfont, 3-0 v Norwich City, 2-1 v Guildford

The City of York clinched their place at Nottingham Hockey Centre with some solid showings. Despite ruthlessly surpassing Belper, reaching the final was no easy feat with a stubborn Timperley side halting the team’s previously clinical goal scoring powers as they managed to grind out a 1-0 victory to advance.

Standing in their way of the trophy will be Reading, whose place in the final never looked in doubt with four comprehensive victories and plenty of goals to their name to make them an outfit to look out for.

How they got to the final:

City of York: 3-1 v Stockton, 8-2 v Belper, 1-0 v Timperley, 3-0 v Stourport

Reading: 4-0 v Guildford, 7-1 v Sevenoaks, 4-1 v Indian Gymkhana, 6-2 v Blueharts

Olton & West Warwickshire were consistently efficient in the goal-scoring department on their way to the final, notching at least three in all five of their matches to book a place at Nottingham Hockey Centre. It was a nervy conclusion to their qualifying campaign as Olton & West Warwickshire could only surpass Ben Rhydding in a penalty shootout, the team taking a tense 4-2 victory to progress.

Norwich City also plundered in the goals on their way the final, bagging six goals in their opening three matches as they got off to a ruthless start. The team will certainly be ones to watch having kept clean sheets in three of their four matches, only conceding two goals to Wapping, as they’ve impressed in both attack and defence.

How they got to the final:

Olton & West Warwickshire: 3-0 v Bournville, 3-2 v Warwick, 4-0 v Shrewsbury, 5-1 v Lindum, 3-3 v Ben Rhydding (4-2 penalty shootout win)

Norwich City: 6-0 v Chelmsford, 6-0 v Norwich City 2^nd XI, 6-2 v Wapping, 3-0 v Bristol Firebrands

The Women’s O45s Plate will be contested by Timperley and Bedford, who will have to learn quickly what their opponent is all about with both sides having played limited matches to reach Nottingham Hockey Centre. Timperley eliminated Taunton Vale with three second-half goals in their sole match, meanwhile Bedford topped Wycombe before coming from behind to defeat Norwich City an evenly contested tussle to reach the final.

How they got to the final:

Timperley: 3-0 v Taunton Vale

Bedford: 2-0 v Wycombe, 2-1 v Norwich City

In what looks set to be one of the matches of the day, Bowdon will face Premier Division outfit Oxted in the Men’s Championship final.

Both sides looked lethal in attack, Bowdon thumping all four of their opponents and hammering last year’s champions, Beeston, 7-3 to advance to the final.

Oxted looked similarly impressive as they held all four of their opening opponents at bay, with consecutive clean sheets, before storming past last year’s finalists in Fareham to ensure they’ll meet Bowdon to contest the trophy.

How they got to the final:

Bowdon: 6-1 v Timperley, 6-2 v Belper, 9-1 v Oxton, 7-3 v Beeston

Oxted: 3-0 v East Grinstead, 6-0 v Maidstone, 10-0 v Southgate, 3-0 v Norwich City, 7-2 v Fareham

Warwickshire & Worcestershire emphatically secured their place at Nottingham Hockey Centre with a series of blowout victories, most notably a 12-0 drubbing of Old Silhillians, and look a dangerous side going into the Men’s O60s Championship final.

They’ll take on a Surrey side that dominated Iceni Rex Essex and Suffolk before battling past Indian Gymkhana in a nervy affair in which the side nearly sacrificed a 3-1 half-time lead.

How they got to the final:

Warwickshire & Worcestershire: 7-1 v Staffordshire, 12-0 v Old Silhillians, 3-1 v Cheshire, 3-0 v Trojans

Surrey: 6-1 v Iceni Rex Essex, 7-0 v Suffolk, 4-3 v Indian Gymkhana

Though it wasn’t the most convincing start to their campaign as the team had to come from behind to beat Timperley, Bowdon’s dangerous looking offense fired them to the final. Sublime victories over Alderley Edge and Bretforton in their following matches, with 14 goals scored and just the one conceded, mean Bowdon will go into the Women’s O45s Championship final in fine form.

They’ll be joined by St Albans, who began with a superb 6-0 victory over Bedford, but had to work hard to defeat Epsom and Cambridge City in their following matches – all four of their goals in those games coming in the first-half as resilient defensive work maintained their advantage.

How they got to the final:

Bowdon: 4-2 v Timperley, 9-1 v Alderley Edge, 5-0 v Bretforton

St Albans: 6-0 v Bedford, 1-0 v Epsom, 3-1 v Cambridge City

Norwich City may have hit in numerous goals on their way to final, but on both occasions have had to rely on a strong second-half performance to advance, with the scores twice sitting level at half-time.

They’ll be keen to start well against an Old Kingstonian side that hit five past Bromley & Beckenham in their first match in a superb start to their campaign. It was a nervy conclusion though, as the team couldn’t surpass Canterbury in regular time, with nerves of steel earning them a 4-2 penalty shootout victory to reach the Men’s O50s Plate final.

How they got to the final:

Old Kingstonian: 5-1 v Bromley & Beckenham, 2-2 v Canterbury (4-2 penalty shootout win)

Norwich City: 4-1 v St Neots, 3-0 v Southgate

Another match to keep a keen eye on will see two Vitality Women’s Premier Division heavyweights meet, as Clifton Robinsons and East Grinstead clash at 15:00 in the Women’s Championship final.

Clifton showed their class as they swept through the early stages with a pair of massive victories. However, they had to work hard to find a way past Gloucester City and Repton, with both matches sat at level pegging at the break, in order to progress to the final. After suffering a narrow 3-2 loss to Beeston at this event last year, Clifton will be hungry for redemption when they return to the same venue to face East Grinstead.

Guildford were the only team to really challenge a dominant looking East Grinstead outfit that swept aside Knole Park, Sonning, and Southgate on their way to the final with three resounding victories and look like the ones to beat in Saturday’s final.

How they got to the final:

Clifton Robinsons: 13-0 v BAC, 6-0 v Newquay, 2-1 v Gloucester City, 3-1 v Repton

East Grinstead: 7-1 v Knole Park, 2-0 v Guildford, 7-1 v Sonning, 8-2 v Southgate

Timperley continued to improve on their road to the Men’s Plate final as they added three goals from each previous match to record impressive victories over West Derby and West Bridgford.

They’ll meet a Staines side that haven’t yet won a match in regular time. Newbury & Thatcham are the only team they’ve played, in which the team had to come from two goals down at half-time to snatch a draw before taking a 5-3 victory in the resulting penalty shootout to book their place in the final.

How they got to the final:

Timperley: 3-0 v Sheffield Hallam, 6-3 v West Derby, 9-2 v West Bridgford

Staines: 2-2 v Newbury & Thatcham (5-3 penalty shootout victory)

Didsbury Northern and Team Bath Buccaneers meet in the Women’s O35s Plate in what looks set to be a thrilling clash. Neither side has conceded a goal on their way to the final, with both teams also looking lethal in attack, teeing this one up to be a juicy finale.

How they got to the final:

Didsbury Northern: 5-0 v Didsbury, 3-0 v Stratford

Team Bath Buccaneers: 6-0 v Amersham & Chalfont

Yorkshire secured their place in the Men’s O60s Plate final with two thumping victories, as they put Staffordshire to the sword in their opening encounter before brushing past Devon & Cornwall.

Whilst Kent didn’t put up the same sort of attacking numbers as Yorkshire, their defensive resilience and solid offensive play saw them top both of their opponents by two clear goals to earn a trip to Nottingham Hockey Centre where they’ll fight for the trophy.

How they got to the final:

Yorkshire: 8-1 v Staffordshire, 5-2 v Devon & Cornwall

Kent: 4-2 v Amersham & Chalfont, 2-0 v Iceni Rex Essex

Bedford’s immense start over West Bridgford had them looking like one of the teams to beat. However, they then faced stern tests in the form of Telford & Wrekin and Timperley as the side were made to work for their place in the Women’s 035s Championship final.

Whilst Taunton Vale did come away with a three-goal victory and a clean sheet in their opening match, it wasn’t all one-way traffic on their path to the final. In all three of their matches, Taunton Vale found themselves level at half-time and only narrowly surpassed Khalsa Leamington and St Albans in the following rounds by a singular goal, to tee up a final that could well go either way.

How they got to the final:

Bedford: 7-0 v West Bridgford, 2-0 v Telford & Wrekin, 2-1 v Timperley

Taunton Vale: 3-0 v Team Bath Buccaneers, 3-2 v Khalsa Leamington, 1-0 v St Albans