The final day of league hockey meant it was celebration time for some at Bretton Gate

​The Ladies first-team were able to rejoice at completing a great escape from relegation in the East Premier Division before their final match of the season at home to Chelmsford.

A team that had been bottom of the table at the start of 2024 with just three points to their name achieved a seventh-placed finish to retain their top-flight status.

It would have been a top-half finish if they’d held on to a 2-0 lead against Chelmsford on the final day, but the visitors, who needed a win to stay up, fought back to draw 2-2.

A superb Eva Stones goal and a 17th goal of the season from Tierney Augustine had put City in command.

The second celebration came from the University of Nottingham second team who clinched the National Midlands Conference League title with a 3-1 win at relegated City of Peterborough men.

It was a comfortable afternoon for the visitors apart from a third-quarter spell when they survived heavy pressure following a lovely goal from Lewis Pywell which brought City back into the contest at 2-1.

City finished bottom of the pile with just two wins and 10 points from 18 matches and will now return to East League hockey after five years in the National League.

City seconds completed a fine season in East Division One with a 6-1 success over Kettering. Josh Compton hit a hat-trick for a team that finished second, but cannot go up because the first team will be playing at Premier Division level next season.

Alastair Sitton, Ethan Pearson and Sammy Harris also scored for City.

Young players starred for City sevenths in their 2-2 draw at Wisbech. Oliver Drake scored a classy goal, while goalkeeper Bradley Smith enjoyed a superb game. Rob Houghton also scored.

City Ladies seconds secured a top half finish in Division One after a 2-0 win at Newmarket courtesy of goals from Tanya Cooper and Grace German. The fourths finished fifth in Division Four after beating Bourne Deeping seconds with a last-gasp short corner strike from Andrea Howard.

Full City of Peterborough East League results…

Men

2nds beat Kettering 6-1 (Compton 3, Sitton, Harris, Pearson); 3rds beat St Ives 3-0 (O’Connell 2, Vardaro); 4ths lost to St Neots 4-2 (Carlton, Green); 5ths beat St Ives 2-1 (Buckley 2); 6ths lost to St Neots 3-0; 7ths drew 2-2 at Wisbech (O. Drake, Houghton).

Ladies

1sts drew 2-2 with Chelmsford (Stones, Augustine); 2nds beat Newmarket 2-0 (Cooper, German), 3rds lost to Cambridge City 5-0; 4ths beat Bourne Deeping 1-0 (Howard), 5ths drew 2-2 with St Ives 2-2 (Warren, Reeves).