Cannock make a little piece of history

Hockey

BILL COLWILL.

Cannock, with a 2- 0 win against Southgate yesterday, took the National League title to the north of London for the first time. In a tense game before a large crowd Cannock were grateful for what appeared a generous penalty stroke decision to settle their nerves.

Paul Edwards put them ahead from the spot 22 minutes into the game. By the time that news of Reading's goalless draw at Havant had filtered through, which would have given Cannock the title in any case, Kalbir Takher, following up at a penalty corner, had made the game secure.

Reading, promoted to the First Division with Cannock at the end of the first year of the National League, finished in second place with Old Loughtonians, 5-0 winners against the relegated Indian Gymkhana, third.

It was a stumbling weekend for Hightown, the leaders in the Premier Division of the Women's National League. Beaten on Saturday 1-0 by Ipswich they could only manage a 1-1 draw yesterday in a re- arranged game against Balsam Leicester. Hightown are now one point ahead of Sutton Canada Life with one game to play.

In the quarter-finals of the Women's Cup Ipswich scrambled through with a 28th-minute Vickey Dixon penalty stroke against a depleted Olton who were refused permission for a late start. In the all-Premier battle Clifton won the penalty-stroke barrage against Slough after a 1-1 draw at the end of normal time. Chelmsford and Doncaster complete the semi- final line ups.

At Milton Keynes, England won both the Under-16 and Under-18 titles in the Women's Home Nations Quad.