Relegation Battle For Cannock HC In Vitality Women’s Conference Midlands

Rod Gilmour of The Hockey Paper speaks to Cannock HC ahead of a stacked relegation battle in Vitality Women’s Conference Midlands

While Olton & West Warwickshire have sown up the top end of the Conference Midlands, the relegation fight starts only a few places below in what looks set to be a nerve-jangling end to the league season.

Belper and Oxford University 1 are currently in fourth place on 20 points, while basement side Loughborough Students 2 sit on 14 points. It means there are conceivably seven sides scrapping for survival, with two clubs relegated in April.

“It’s really tight and anyone from fourth or fifth downwards could get relegated,” confirms Sarah Martin, the Cannock captain.

Cannock have maintained National League status in recent seasons, switching from Conference North to Midlands and surviving, according to Martin, “by the skin of our teeth”.

“We are quite lucky to be where we are,” observed Martin. “The Cannock of old is no more. We aren’t one of the big clubs attracting players, certainly not in the women’s section.

“We are quite an ageing side. We’ve all played together for quite some time over the years with some new faces in the last few years before university.”

The core of the Cannock team are in their mid to late thirties. And it is this experience, with hundreds of games under their belts, which could yet prove the difference in their bid to keep Conference hockey intact, with Cannock currently third from bottom on goal difference.

“That friendship and playing for the club forever, that desire and club spirit and playing for your mates has ground us out some results over the years,” added Martin.

This cohesive spirit will need to come to the fore on a rare double header weekend when they take on Loughborough on Saturday and then Beeston 2s on Sunday. It follows a weekend of frost just gone and Cannock are raring to go. “It will be a big, big weekend in terms of points,” said Martin, a social worker.

Martin first started out at Cannock aged 12. A one-club loyal servant to the club, she is still playing 16 years later. “I played for the third team, captained the second team for several years and dipped in and out of the first team in the heights of the Premier Division.”

Cannock were blessed with fresh-faced future stars of the game such as Hollie Pearne-Webb, Ellie Watton, Georgie Twigg, Susie Gilbert and Sabbie Heesh, who all helped the club to top flight hockey. 

An exodus then left Cannock staring at relegation from the Premier Division in 2012 after failing to accrue a point all season. “They left the club for various reasons and obviously went on to do extremely well in their careers,” recalled Martin. “Our second team had to effectively turn up to the 1s and then we had to come up with the likes of Crista Culle and Alex Danson.

Cannock found themselves back in Midlands league hockey. Martin has captained the 1s for the last eight seasons, with her love for the game still burning bright. “I was always part of the squad and not always playing,” she recalled. “I wanted pitch time and I was captain of the 2s and we were pushing for promotion.”

Martin came into hockey after her PE teacher noted her talent for sport and the former wanting to enter team sports. She said: “I haven’t looked back. I have all my best friends, my social group are all through hockey. Hockey gives you good leadership and communication skills and it keeps you balanced. I'm a really competitive person and being in a team sport, being competitive every Saturday and playing with friends is just great.

“Whether we are top or bottom. I’m fully committed and that desire to win is always there. I don’t go on holiday during the season or miss training for whatever reason. I commit to the team and cause and it can be frustrating to some of my team-mates!”

Martin is also a Masters World Cup player, having won gold for the England over-35s last summer in Nottingham. She believes that the Masters scene is only just beginning after England’s sweep of golds.

“It was well organised and a quite brilliant experience,” she said of the Nottingham Hockey Centre tournament. “I recommend it for anyone to try out, even the trials are great. There are similar and better skill sets and you are playing with players who have been around hockey for the same amount of time as you."

Martin will consider over-40s next summer. “As long as you are able to play and have decent fitness it is a great experience to go for. Masters hockey really seems to be taking off,” she added.

The same will apply to Cannock if they can finish this weekend with a six-pointer and the road to safety.

Saturday: Loughborough Students 2 v Cannock, 12pm