Hockey: Surprise cup victory for Doncaster

CONTROVERSY and surprises were the order of the day in the quarter-finals of the HA Cup with wins for Doncaster and Exmouth against Premier Division opponents, with First Personnel Sutton Coldfield's 1-0 defeat by Slough providing the talking point.

In the only Premier Division clash Sutton were awarded a goal in the fifth minute with Lisa Lee touching home a cross from Jane Sixsmith after a powerful drive down the right wing. Slough protested that Lee had not touched the ball in the circle and after consultation the umpire changed her decision. Three minutes later Sam Wright took advantage of hesitancy by Sutton's goalkeeper Helen Atkinson to score the winning goal.

First-half goals from Rachel Smart and Carol Savage sent Doncaster on to a surprise win at Chelmsford and although Karen Willis pulled a goal back on the interval the Essex side were never able to lift themselves back into the game.

It was a black weekend for

Ealing. On Saturday they were beaten at home 2-1 by Clifton and relegated from the Premier Division and then went down 3-2 at Exmouth in the cup.

Loughborough Students, who on Saturday won their Midland Territorial League, kept Premier Division Hightown on tenterhooks until the 66th minute when Chris Cook scored the game's only goal for the Northern club.

Balsam Leicester secured the draw they required on Saturday against Ipswich in an exciting yet goalless encounter to take their first National League Premier title.

Results, Sporting Digest, page 35