Celebration time for City of Peterborough hockey club at Bretton Gate

It’s been a dominant campaign from City who shrugged off relegation from the National League last season in fine style. They will be back in the top level competition for the 2025-26 season after a ruthless return to regional hockey. They are 16 points clear at the top with one game at Bedford this Saturday to go.

City beat King’s Lynn-based Pelicans 3-0 at Bretton Gate in their final home game as goals from skipper Matt Porter, defender Ben Newman, with a fine back-handed slap, and Adam Wilson, from the penalty spot, overcame stubborn opposition.

The firsts weren’t the only team celebrating over the weekend as the men’s sevenths clinched the Division Six North West title with a 4-0 win over St Neots. Their goal-scorers were Louie Hopkins (2), Max Hawtin and Harry Ingram.

City women’s fourths will win promotion from East Division Four North West alongside March Town if they win their final game at home to Newmarket seconds this Saturday. They were 2-0 winners at Wisbech last weekend thanks to goals from Abishana Dinesh and Sara Teesdale.

But the first-team are relegated into Division One after their 1-1 Premier Division draw at Upminster. City needed to win and hope for favourable results elsewhere to stay alive, but a Hannah Grimshaw goal was only enough for a point for the team next-to-bottom of the table.

That result aside it was an excellent day for the club with wins in 10 of the 13 games they played. James Cooper scored four as the men’s 8ths beat Ely 5-1 and Paul Hillsdon hit a hat-trick for the fourths in a 6-2 success over Pelicans.

Other results: Men: 2nds beat Cambridge University 3-1 (Tom Seaton, Tom Tuffnel, Grady Wing), 3rds beat Wisbech 1-0 (Oscar Sadicot), 4ths beat Pelicans 6-2 (Paul Hillsdon (3), Gary Hales (2), Matt Carson-Doughty), 5ths beat St Ives 2-1 (Simon Buckley 2), 6ths beat Bourne Deeping 4-0 (Jonathan Bigham (2), James Bell, Jos Walker), 8ths beat Ely 5-1 (James Cooper 4, Kelsey Brace).

Women: 2nds beat Wisbech 2-1 (Amelia Norey, Holly Wake); 3rds lost 2-0 to Pelicans (Sue McNaughton), 4ths beat Wisbech 2-0 (Abishana Dinesh, Sara Teesdale), 5ths lost 3-0 to St Neots.

City girls U16s ventured to Olympic Park to play at Lee Valley Hockey Centre in the East League Finals Day and finished a creditable third.

The girls under 14 team lost their National Plate semi-final 4-3 on penalty flicks to Kent-based Knole Park. Isla Lennard scored the City goal in a tie that finished 1-1 before the shootout.