With a top-two finish guaranteed in Essex Women’s League division one, Phoenix Hockey Club’s ladies’ first team are now hoping their elevation back to the premier division will follow suit.

A 4-1 win at Havering seconds last weekend ensured the lowest Phoenix can finish is their current second place and with the norm being for two sides to be promoted, the bubbly is on ice at the club’s Four Releet home in Bocking Church Street.

However, ladies captain Hannah Philp insists the corks won’t be popped until the league confirms the move up.

She said: “We’ve made sure of second spot and that means we should be promoted, but you never know what the league wants to do with reshuffling.

“No-one can catch us in second, but we’ll have to wait for the league to say there are actually two going up."

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