[img_assist|nid=6847|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=220|height=92]KETTERING, January 10 – The race for a place in the women’s Maxifuel Super Sixes Final reaches its climax this weekend as the action-packed semi finals take place at Arena Sports in Kettering on Saturday evening.
Reigning champions Leicester take on Reading in the first semi final at 6pm, in a repeat of last year’s final, while Sutton Coldfield and Bowdon Hightown do battle in the second semi final at 7.30pm.
Sutton Coldfield also reached the semi finals last year, and captain Vicky Woolford said: “Last year was a bit more of a shock because our main priority was staying in the league, but this year we had more expectation.”
Sutton Coldfield beat Bowdon Hightown in their opening match of this year’s Premier Division campaign, and Woolford added: “That was the first time we’ve beaten Bowdon Hightown indoors, and it gave us a big confidence boost, both for the league and now for the semi finals.
“Having played Leicester last year at this stage we were quite pleased not to get them again for psychological reasons, but if we want to win this we may have to play them at some point.”
Reigning champions Leicester are raring to go, and manager Sue Holwell said: “We’re pretty confident, especially if we play like we did last weekend. If we make it to the final I really don’t mind who we play – we’ve beaten them all in the league already.
“Overall we’re a better team than we were last year. We have a greater depth in the squad, which means that we can afford to give players a rest and not weaken the standard of our play. And we have another year’s experience of the indoor game under our belts.”
Meanwhile, the battle to gain promotion to the Premier Division for next season also reaches a thrilling conclusion this weekend with the final round of matches in Division One of both the men’s and women’s competitions.
The University of Birmingham and Clifton finished in the bottom two of the women’s Maxifuel Premier Division and will drop down, while the men’s Maxifuel Premier Division will lose Surbiton and Old Loughtonians.
Women’s Maxifuel Super Sixes Championship
January 12 2013
Semi Finals
Leicester v Reading 18:00
Sutton Coldfield v Bowdon Hightown 19:30
Division One
Bristol Firebrands v Surbiton 10:30
Trojans v Harleston Magpies 11:30
Sevenoaks v Brooklands Poynton 12:30
Horsham v Wakefield Bradford 13:30
East Grinstead v Bristol Firebrands 14:30
Surbiton v Trojans 15:30
Harleston Magpies v Sevenoaks 16:30
Brooklands Poynton v Horsham 17:30
Wakefield Bradford v East Grinstead 18:30
January 13 2013
Division One
Sevenoaks v Surbiton 09:00
Trojans v East Grinstead 10:00
Bristol Firebrands v Horsham 11:00
Wakefield Bradford v Sevenoaks 12:00
Brooklands Poynton v Trojans 13:00
Harleston Magpies v Bristol Firebrands 14:00
Surbiton v Wakefield Bradford 15:00
East Grinstead v Brooklands Poynton 16:00
Horsham v Harleston Magpies 17:00
Men’s Maxifuel Super Sixes Championship
January 12 2013
Division One
Harleston Magpies v Havant 10:30
Holcombe v Bournville 11:30
Hampstead & Westminster v Brooklands MU 12:30
Sevenoaks v St Albans 13:30
Southgate v Harleston Magpies 14:30
Havant v Holcombe 15:30
Bournville v Hampstead & Westminster 16:30
Brooklands MU v Sevenoaks 17:30
St Albans v Southgate 18:30
January 13 2012
Division One
Hampstead & Westminster v Havant 09:00
Holcombe v Southgate 10:00
Harleston Magpies v Sevenoaks 11:00
St Albans v Hampstead & Westminster 12:00
Brooklands MU v Holcombe 13:00
Bournville v Harleston Magpies 14:00
Havant v St Albans 15:00
Southgate v Brooklands MU
Sevenoaks v Bournville 17:00
Enjoy a supercharged Saturday night out at the Maxifuel Super Sixes semi finals at Arena Sports in Kettering. Tickets for this weekend’s semi finals are on sale now at £6 for adults and £3 for U16s. Visit www.englandhockey.co.uk/maxifuelsupersixes to buy online and find out more.
