The final day of the women's Division 3 programme at Northampton began with all four matches of relevance to at least one team in the pursuit of two remaining Championship 2 places. It played out in sequence like this:
Cheltenham claimed what turned out to be a crucial point in an 8-8 draw with City of Bristol. It could have been more comfortable for Cheltenham who were 8-4 at the start of the last period but then conceded goals by Heather Tomlinson (2), Anna Robbins and Ella-Louise Jones.
Sheffield Stingrays then needed two points to ensure safety and managed it easily enough, Elinor Weatherill scoring five in a 13-6 defeat of Sunderland.
Next up came Leeds Hammerheads, also targeting two promotion points from their game with Mid Sussex Marlins. It wasn't to be. The Marlins won 23-15, with the division's top goalscorer Isobel Bates bagging another 11.
Finally, Liverpool Water Beatles faced Birmingham, needing a point to avoid the drop. They led 6-5 with five minutes remaining. But exclusions proved expensive for Liverpool as Jemma Vile equalised 52 seconds from the end and then Laura Keight notched a Birmingham winner - with four seconds left on the clock!
Liverpool finished level on points with Cheltenham but Cheltenham's victory when the sides met earlier in the campaign put them in Championship 2 alongside Birmingham, Bristol, Mid Sussex Marlins and Sheffield. It's the play-off tournament against new applicants for Liverpool, Leeds and Sunderland.
Cheltenham claimed what turned out to be a crucial point in an 8-8 draw with City of Bristol. It could have been more comfortable for Cheltenham who were 8-4 at the start of the last period but then conceded goals by Heather Tomlinson (2), Anna Robbins and Ella-Louise Jones.
Sheffield Stingrays then needed two points to ensure safety and managed it easily enough, Elinor Weatherill scoring five in a 13-6 defeat of Sunderland.
Next up came Leeds Hammerheads, also targeting two promotion points from their game with Mid Sussex Marlins. It wasn't to be. The Marlins won 23-15, with the division's top goalscorer Isobel Bates bagging another 11.
Finally, Liverpool Water Beatles faced Birmingham, needing a point to avoid the drop. They led 6-5 with five minutes remaining. But exclusions proved expensive for Liverpool as Jemma Vile equalised 52 seconds from the end and then Laura Keight notched a Birmingham winner - with four seconds left on the clock!
Liverpool finished level on points with Cheltenham but Cheltenham's victory when the sides met earlier in the campaign put them in Championship 2 alongside Birmingham, Bristol, Mid Sussex Marlins and Sheffield. It's the play-off tournament against new applicants for Liverpool, Leeds and Sunderland.
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