Hockey: Watsonians wait on GHK appeal result

Watsonians are the innocent by-standers in the confusion 
regarding promotion from the women’s Aberdeen Asset Management Division Two to the top flight next season.

The Edinburgh side’s chance of automatic promotion seemed to have vanished when they could only draw 3-3 with second-placed GHK two weeks ago, a result that left the Glasgow side only a point behind with a game in hand against mid-table Granite City Wanderers.

GHK, on the verge of overtaking Watsonians at the top of the table, surprisingly failed to fulfil their home fixture against the Aberdonians and were automatically sanctioned by Scottish Hockey for a breach of competitions bye-laws. The Glasgow side were fined £75, deducted three points and the match was awarded to Granite City. The consequence was that Watsonians were pronounced champions and automatically promoted.

The Glasgow side were due to play Giffnock in the promotion play-off at Peffermill last Sunday, but that had to be postponed when GHK submitted an appeal to Scottish Hockey last Thursday. It is not clear the basis of the GHK appeal, possibly having players on either under-18 or under-21 international duty that weekend, but the chaos will not be resolved until the appeals panel make their decision.

If GHK’s appeal is upheld, the game with Granite City will then have to be played and 
the Glasgow side would overtake Watsonians at the top with only a draw, leaving the Edinburgh outfit in the play-off.

It might be a few weeks 
before Giffnock, who finished second bottom of Division One after a poor season know if they will face Watsonians or GHK in the promotion play-offs.