WOTTON-under-Edge have achieved their dream and reached the top of the GoCrea8 Hockey League regional ladder.

The club’s men’s first team beat Plymouth University 4-1 on Saturday and then discovered that rivals Cardiff and Met B had lost 5-3 to Team Bath Buccs B which means that, with two games left, second-placed Wotton cannot be caught.

And, as such, they have sealed promotion to the top flight.
Captain Alistair Hammond (pictured right) said the club were jubilant at the achievement.

Hammond said: “Wotton were in the Premiership about seven years ago, I think, so it has taken us a while to get there again.

“And to get three promotions in three years is something special as well.”

Wotton have been invincible at their home base of Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School this season and lost only three on the road.

But they are still behind leaders Westbury and UB, albeit by just a single point, so the new challenge for Hammond and his squad is to overhaul the table toppers and win the title themselves.

He added: “This year, we were aiming for the top four as it is a very tight league. We wanted to consolidate ourselves in this league and, as the games went on, we were starting to win.

“Being top of the league at Christmas, we thought we might do it.

“We lost and drew some games after Christmas and that is what has made it even more special because the pressure was on the Blues.”

Now Wotton, who were down in the De Cymru and Marches leagues just a few years ago, can look forward to challenging the big first teams of Cardiff Uni, Taunton Vale and Team Bath Buccs next season.

They will be without some key young players, who are off to university next term, so it is about consolidation in the top flight.

But delighted Hammond said: “When we were three leagues below, we didn’t think we would be in the top division by now and only one division below the National Leagues.”