Report on Cheshire Cup/Plate 2007-08

Both competitions ran relatively smoothly with 11 entries to the Cup and 7 entries to the Plate (sadly 4 Cheshire clubs declined to enter).  Umpires were provided by the NWHUA.  Round 1 and quarter-final matches were played on Saturday September 8^th and 15^th and 3 out of the 4 semi-finals were played on a date by mutual agreement in the mid-season break from league hockey.  The Bowdon vs Oxton semi-final was held over due to indoor commitments and was played a midweek evening in late January.  Because of national cup and league commitments, it proved impossible to play both finals on the same Sunday in late February/March (as was originally intended).  The results of the finals were as follows:

Cup (held at Brookland MU HC, Tuesday April 8^th):

Bowdon 1  Brooklands 1; aet, Bowdon won 4-2 on strokes  (losing semi-finalists – Alderley Edge and Oxton).

Plate (held at Deeside Ramblers HC, Sunday February 24^th):

Knutsford 1  Macclesfield 2 (losing semi-finalists – Lymm and Tameside).

This coming season’s competition will follow exactly the same format.  For 2009-10, I will propose at the AGM that, by virtue of affiliating to the county, all clubs are automatically entered into the Cup/Plate and that a reduced, uniform entry fee (probably £20) be added to the affiliation fee for club’s 1^ST XIs.  Thus, rather than opting-in, if a club so wishes, it will have to opt out. 

David Billington