Hockey: Hampstead & Westminster women promoted to Premier
Hampstead & Westminster's women celebrate clinching promotion to the Premier Division - Credit: Archant
Hampstead & Westminster women clinched promotion to the Investec League Premier Division with a 7-1 win over Stourport at Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis centre on Sunday.
Having won the East Conference title, they began their play-off quest with a 2-1 loss to Slough in Nottingham a weekend earlier.
But they kept their hopes alive with a tense 1-0 win over Loughborough Students on Saturday, thanks to a late Lucy Hyams goal, and took an early lead against Stourport as Mel Wilkinson netted from a penalty corner.
Wilkinson doubled the advantage after a good move from another corner and Jasmine Clark made it 3-0 from open play.
But Stourport hit back towards the end of the first half from a corner of their own to give Hampstead coaches Kate Richardson-Walsh and Sarah Kelleher something to think about during the break.
Hampstead restored their three-goal cushion soon after the restart as former GB international Emily Maguire netted from a penalty corner.
And the Olympic bronze medallist repeated the trick to make it 5-1, before captain Hayley Turner netted number six with 10 minutes remaining.
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Kate McCaw made it seven late on and that meant Hampstead, who are celebrating their 125th anniversary this season, finished top of the four-team group above Loughborough, who are also promoted after beating Slough 3-0 in their final match in the round-robin.
And the club’s men will look to make it a double celebration as they take on Surbiton in their final, looking to avenge a penalty shuffles defeat from last year.
