It was all a bit too close for comfort at times, but in the end Sutton & Cheam won men’s Championship 1 at Haberdashers today, squeezing past Welsh Wanderers 11-10 in their final game.
Sutton needed at least a draw from the match to be sure of the title. Defeat would have offered Sheffield the opportunity to pull level on points by winning their last match against Invicta (Sheffield won 13-12) – which would then have left the title to be settled on goal difference.
Wanderers were ahead only once against Sutton – 5-4 in the second period. But it all got a trifle nerve-racking in the final quarter as Matt Griffiths’s fourth goal very briefly brought Wanderers level at 9-9. Strikes by Stephen Bayles and Ryan Symington quickly eased the tension for Sutton and all Wanderers could manage after that was a Lewis Gilmour goal 3.12 from the end.
Wanderers lost both their matches at the weekend – each time with an 11-10 scoreline - but still finished in the top three. Caledonia drew level on points by defeating Exeter 16-11 but Wanderers had beaten the Scots earlier in the season.
A seven-goal blitz in the second period was enough to earn City of Bristol victory over Watford, who hit back later on but still lost 14-11.
Sheffield's clash with Invicta provided a dramatic finale to the Championship 1 campaign. Invicta led 12-9 after three periods but Sheffield dominated the last quarter, claiming the winner - a man-up effort from Corran Bradley - with just two seconds remaining.
Photos (Trevor Hyde) - Above: Stephen Bayles shoots during the crunch clash with Welsh Wanderers. Below: Sutton players with their medals and the Championship 1 trophy.
Sutton needed at least a draw from the match to be sure of the title. Defeat would have offered Sheffield the opportunity to pull level on points by winning their last match against Invicta (Sheffield won 13-12) – which would then have left the title to be settled on goal difference.
Wanderers were ahead only once against Sutton – 5-4 in the second period. But it all got a trifle nerve-racking in the final quarter as Matt Griffiths’s fourth goal very briefly brought Wanderers level at 9-9. Strikes by Stephen Bayles and Ryan Symington quickly eased the tension for Sutton and all Wanderers could manage after that was a Lewis Gilmour goal 3.12 from the end.
Wanderers lost both their matches at the weekend – each time with an 11-10 scoreline - but still finished in the top three. Caledonia drew level on points by defeating Exeter 16-11 but Wanderers had beaten the Scots earlier in the season.
A seven-goal blitz in the second period was enough to earn City of Bristol victory over Watford, who hit back later on but still lost 14-11.
Sheffield's clash with Invicta provided a dramatic finale to the Championship 1 campaign. Invicta led 12-9 after three periods but Sheffield dominated the last quarter, claiming the winner - a man-up effort from Corran Bradley - with just two seconds remaining.
Photos (Trevor Hyde) - Above: Stephen Bayles shoots during the crunch clash with Welsh Wanderers. Below: Sutton players with their medals and the Championship 1 trophy.
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