HOCKEYIW 9, Salisbury III 1
LEAGUE champions IW celebrated their title in style on Saturday by thrashing second-placed Salisbury, who were for so long their main rivals for the crown.
Having run IW close in their first match, the hosts expected more a game from the opposition, who have slipped out the promotion places.
But it was one-way traffic, opening the scoring just 30 seconds after the start, when Colin Simmonds slotted home.
While Salisbury rallied after this and scored from a penalty corner ten minutes later, IW stepped through the gears and netted five goals in the next 20 minutes to kill the game off.
Craig Bruce, playing in his first match for the first team this season, swept home from the top of the area, before Simmonds grabbed another two goals to seal his hat-trick.
Bruce punished a defensive error a few minutes later to get his brace, before Stephen Woodford hit home a penalty corner just before half time to give IW a 6-1 lead.
In the second half, IW restricted Salisbury to only a handful of attacks.
Simmonds confirmed his man of the match display with a fourth goal, prodding home a rebound before Tom Gould arrived at the post to deflect home a shot.
James Liddiard completed the scoring with a trademark sweep into the corner.
IW have a busy end of season as they look to wrap up a league and cup double.
They play Southampton IV tomorrow (Saturday) in their penultimate league match, before travelling to Basingstoke Vikings in the quarter-final of the League Cup on Sunday.
The team thanked Derrick Austin for umpiring this season, and Alison Austin for managing the touchline each game.
Romsey III 1, IW II 4
A win this weekend at Basingstoke Vikings will ensure IW II win the Hampshire 10 title, after this victory at Romsey.
The deadlock was broken when Tom Young fired home a great shot across the keeper’s pads.
Though Romsey levelled the scores, second-half goals from Young completed his hat-trick and Craig Bruce added a fourth.
IW II take on the Vikings at Smallbrook tomorrow (Saturday), from 11am.