A NARROW 1-0 home defeat to leaders Wisbech Town on Saturday means that St Ives Hockey Club’s ladies’ firsts must now rely on other results going their way in the final two games as they battle to avoid the drop from East Women’s League 1N.

A NARROW 1-0 home defeat to leaders Wisbech Town on Saturday means that St Ives Hockey Club’s ladies’ firsts must now rely on other results going their way in the final two games as they battle to avoid the drop from East Women’s League 1N.

Shelley Read in central midfield and Claire Young in defence were influential for Saints but, even with stand out performances from both, they were unable to break down the solid Wisbech defence.

This weekend, the team face a crucial fixture at bottom side Cambridge City seconds.

Meanwhile after securing promotion to Premier B last weekend, the men’s firsts will be crowned NE14 East League Division One champions if they match Colchester’s result when they host Waltham Forest in their final game of the season on Saturday.

Derrick Pope and Jamie Moise scored for Ives at the weekend, as they edged ever closer with a 2-0 win at Cambridge City seconds.

In other action, the ladies’ seconds saw off the challenge of Cambridge South in the Cambridgeshire Ladies League Premier Division - Emily Skidmore and Frances Whittaker-Wood their scorers in a 2-1 home win.

The thirds, meanwhile, were held to a goalless draw at Cambridge City fourths in Division One, with Val Crack and Laura Beedle standing out.