St Albans Hockey Club’s ladies’ 1sts’ head coach Matt Bowen is eyeing promotion next season after his team cemented third place in the National League East Conference.

Herts Advertiser: Chrissy HornChrissy Horn (Image: Archant)

The Tangerines have been in a tense battle for second place with East Grinstead – Holcombe are runaway leaders – but a loss on Saturday to Wimbledon means they are six points away from the runners-up spot.

The Tangerines have one game left, a visit from Holcombe, but they have already cemented third spot.

Head coach Matt Bowen said: “The main aim is winning the league, winning playoffs and getting into premier league.

To do that we need fresh faces, a good well attended pre-season, to improve our fitness and iron out some tactical kinks we have had.

“Most importantly, the girls need to sometimes realise that they are good enough, they are talented enough and that they just need to believe in themselves, so play hard, train hard and enjoy it.”

The 2013/14 season has been one of change for the 1st team with three different managers taking the helm throughout the season. They have also been rocked by injuries and unavailibilty.

All those factors, according to Bowen, make the achievement of coming third even better.

“Finishing third is a good achievement beacuse it has been an up and down season; we have set ourselves a standard to better next year,” he told the Herts Ad.

“The most pleasing is our ability to get results when everything seems to be conspiring against us. I think I am most pleased that the team have shown they can grind out a win, win with a flourish and come from behind against strong opposition and take three points.

“Next year we hope to bring in some new faces, strengthen the squad and I will use pre season to make some tweaks to the way we play and the formation.”