Women’s’ Competition Report Season 2007-08

Once again the Ladies Cup and Plate fixtures were slotted into an ever busy fixture schedule. There were 40 teams entered into the respective Cup draws with teams then dropping into the Plate after the first round.

It was decided that the Finals would be scheduled towards the end of the season and this worked well as it gave more time to slot the games in. Finals day was held at Chester Hockey Club and thanks must go to them for the Facilties and support given on the day.

The Cup finalists were

1^st Team            Crewe v Timperley

2^nd Team           Chester v Poynton

3^rd Team            Bowdon v Poynton

Timperley just beat Crewe in a nail biting 1^st team final.

Poynton took the honours in both the 2^nd and 3^rd team cup finals.

The Plate finalists were

1^st Team            Marple v Bowdon

2^nd Team           Oxton v Wilmslow

It was disappointing that having got through to the Plate final Marple were unable to fulfil their obligation of playing on the Final so Bowdon were crowned Plate winners without even having to play the game.

The 2^nd team Plate on the other hand went to the wire with Oxton scoring in the dying seconds of a very competitive game against Wilmslow to give them the victory.

Louise Broome

Report on Cheshire Mens’ 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