The decision to promote Holcombe to the Premier Division from the Super 6s Division One was recently made by the National Game Panel. This decision was a result of the penalty imposed on Beeston for fielding an ineligible player during their fixtures earlier this month, as reported by Lucas Ball.
As a result of the matches in question being recorded as a 5-0 loss for Beeston instead of the original results on Jan 6-7, their points have been adjusted accordingly. However, Beeston will not face any additional penalty.
After this decision, Richard Lane’s team has gained three points and seen their goal difference improve by seven. Additionally, Sutton Coldfield and Knole Park have both gained two points and improved their goal differences by five after drawing with Beeston’s team. Holcombe, originally second from the bottom after the first weekend of action, managed to climb to fourth with four consecutive wins at Polo Farm, Canterbury, on the second weekend.
Lane’s team secured victories against Wimbledon and Sevenoaks on Jan 13 and then went on to defeat then table-toppers Sutton Coldfield (4-3) and hosts Canterbury (7-1) on Sunday, January 14th. As a result, Holcombe, along with Sutton Coldfield, has been promoted to the Super 6s Premier Division, leapfrogging Reading who now remains in Division One. At the bottom of the table, Canterbury has been relegated to Division Two, while Beeston dropped from first to sixth place.
In the upcoming season, Holcombe and Sutton Coldfield will compete in the Premier Division against Buckingham, Slough, East Grinstead, Surbiton, Guildford, Harleston Magpies, and Repton. Conversely, Bowdon Highton and Leicester City are relegated to Division One.
This promotion marks the first time that both Holcombe’s men and women’s side have been in the Super 6s Premier Division since 2024. Coach Richard Lane expressed his delight at the achievement, praising the team’s outstanding performance in the indoor season. He noted, “The girls thoroughly deserved it, putting an outstanding second weekend of performances. They grew with each game and played exceptionally. It is a pleasure to be a part of this talented group.”
This news is a significant achievement for Holcombe and presents an exciting opportunity for the team to compete in the Premier Division in the upcoming season.