Americas

Lasana Liburd

Trinidad and Tobago will double their presence in next season's England Men's Premier 1 Hockey Championship after Canterbury and East Grinstead navigated their way past tricky opponents in the Playoffs yesterday to secure their places in the top flight.

It was closer than they might have hoped after two legs.

East Grinstead lost 4-2 to Teddington in regulation time yesterday at the University of Nottingham hockey ground, which was enough to force extra time on goal difference after they whipped Teddington 6-4 on Saturday evening.

Trinidad and Tobago international captain and Grinstead player/coach Kwan Browne converted a golden goal penalty corner to decide the affair.

In an earlier Playoff match, Brian Garcia scored in normal time as Canterbury lost 2-1 to Bath Buccaneers-a result that nullified Canterbury's 3-2 win over the same outfit on Saturday.

Canterbury went on to win 4-3 by penalty strokes, with Garcia scoring the opening flick.

Yesterday's results mean that four Trinidad and Tobago players will play in next season's Premier 1 competition, which includes Browne's East Grinstead teammates Dwain Quan Chan and Dillet Gilkes.

Trinidad and Tobago international defender Solomon Eccles was relegated with St Albans, while Garcia's status was in jeopardy as Canterbury were forced into the Playoffs.

Garcia scored once on Saturday as well off another penalty corner when Canterbury took first leg honours by edging Bath 3-2.

Bath, who finished as Premier 2 runners-up behind East Grinstead, may curse their misfortune as a recent change in the league format robbed them of automatic promotion.

The English Hockey Association reduced the number of participating league teams from 12 to ten by demoting the bottom two clubs, while allowing ninth and tenth place in the Premier 1 to prove their worth against the lower division promotion-chasers.

East Grinstead and Teddington was the marquee match-up.

Teddington have never competed outside the upper echelon of the English game and closed the season strongly after the mid-term acquisition of Malaysian attacker Chua Boon Huat.

East Grinstead were seeking their second successive promotion since enticing Browne to sign as their player/coach and the 28-year-old star will become the first black coach in the history of the Premier 1 competition next season.

On Saturday, Boon Huat scored twice within the opening 13 minutes as Teddington stormed to a 3-0 lead, only for Browne to respond with a superb display of markmanship as he converted five penalty corners from as many attempts in Grinstead's thrilling 6-4 win.

Grinstead left it until late again yesterday.

Huat was on target once more as Teddington stormed to a 4-0 lead only for Grinstead to draw level on goal aggregate with goals from Ashley Jackson and Andrew Medcalfe in the final six minutes of regulation time.

Browne had the final word with a successful penalty corner.

The diminutive midfielder, who holds the distinction of being the first foreign player to win English Premier 1 MVP honours while at Canterbury, delayed his migration to the United States for a final season in England at the top level.

He will surely aim for a special swansong.

Rate This Article

Select Here  5 Stars  (Best Rating)   4 Stars   3 Stars   2 Stars   1 Star  (Worst Rating)

Your opinion counts.
Rate this article or enter your comments below.