RICHMOND might have claimed the Men’s Hockey League Conference East title this season, but they must face up to the fact they will be defending their title next term.
Skipper Charlie Duffle’s men saved their worst for last as they lost all three of their promotion tournament matches to finish bottom of the four-team pool at the weekend.
A narrow 4-3 defeat at Canterbury on April 3 was compounded by a 5-0 humiliation at the hands of Loughborough Students on Saturday and a 3-1 reverse to Cardiff & Met on Sunday.
Richmond, with former Great Britain international Mark Pearn as player-coach, had only lost three games in the regular season and were crowned Conference East champions in March by a whopping seven points from second-placed Southgate.
But even the presence of 25-goal Charlie Ellison in their starting line-up could not swing the odds in their favour at the weekend as they surrendered hopes of MHL Premier League hockey next season at the Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre.
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