BEN Rhydding men took the long road to Lindum and put on a brave and magnificent display of hockey to beat their opposition in a ‘must win’ game and take their place at the top of the North Premier League.

This puts Ben Rhydding two points ahead of Lindum with a game to play. Lindum play at Brigg on Saturday while Ben Rhydding play Sheffield Bankers at home at 2.30pm.

A win for Ben Rhydding will see them crowned champions and win promotion to the England Hockey Leagues - into the Conference North. Any other result will rely on a Lindum slip-up. As both sides have only lost a game each all season (to each other) the chances of a Lindum slip-up are very small and therefore Ben Rhydding must get the three points this weekend.

The Lindum supporters, in their hundreds were loud and vicious but Rhydding maintained a clinical focus and got on with the job. Some impressive, valiant defending kept Lindum out and Rhydding came close on several occasions but the score at half time was 0-0. Rhydding had the better hockey with Lindum playing a physical game plan and were visibly tiring as they went into the break.

Rhydding took a well deserved lead when Will Musgrave floated the perfect ball down the line for George Gamble to collect and work the baseline committing Lindum’s defence before popping the ball into space for Callum Franks to finish. With 20 minutes still on the clock, Rhydding held onto this precious lead for what seemed like an eternity. With a goal being disallowed along the way, and Callum Franks sustaining a head injury, Rhydding were steely and composed, slowly taking their game up a final notch as Lindum began to finally fade. With two minutes on the clock, an aerial of perfect precision from Matty Birch to Charlie Smith gave Rhydding a text book two against one, with Mark Portnell sliding in to score the winner.

Rhydding maintained their focus in the midst of many phases of chaos and showed true class to ride out an ugly game to become the valiant and rightful victors.

Saturday will see the final game of the season against Sheffield Bakers at home, when a win will seal promotion to the National League for this band of true warriors.

Meanwhile the Ben Rhydding Women wrapped up their season with a well deserved and hard fought win against Leicester. Leicester scored early before Jodie Bridger equalised at the end of the first quarter. The next two quarters were goalless before Sarah Bell and Kate Wood put Rhydding 3-1 up in the final quarter. Leicester fought back with a goal two minutes from time but were unable to get the equaliser. Leicester finished 5th in Division One North while Ben Rhydding finished equal 6th.