Hockey: East Grinstead face final hurdle

The final pieces in next year's National League set-up will be put into place this weekend at Beeston with the promotion and relegation play-offs. Teams will play each other twice over the weekend with the result decided by the aggregate score over the two legs.

The final pieces in next year's National League set-up will be put into place this weekend at Beeston with the promotion and relegation play-offs. Teams will play each other twice over the weekend with the result decided by the aggregate score over the two legs.

Because of the restructuring of the leagues, the champions of Divisions Two and Three are required to play-off against the lowest team in the league above them that have not been automatically relegated. In the men's competition East Grinstead, who won Division Two, will have to play Teddington to secure their return to the top division - a task which could be beyond them.

Since winning their division the Sussex club went off the boil while Teddington, after an abysmal first half to the season, mustered after Christmas. The Middlesex club parted company with their coach, persuaded former Great Britain and England captain Jason Laslett out of retirement and notched up several notable victories.

Easier to predict should be the encounters between Division Two leaders Holcombe, against Bournville. Holcombe with their five-strong South African contingent, led by player-coach Greg Nicol who topped the goal scoring charts with 56 League goals, 15 ahead of his nearest rival, look far too strong for the Midland club.

The school championships at Chelmsford HC will be dominated by Millfield who appear in three of the four finals.