HEREFORD Hockey Club have been crowned league champions after a final day battle with their nearest challengers.

The city side drew 2-2 at second-placed Wotton-under-Edge to ensure they topped the De Cymru and The Marches 1.

Hereford knew before kick-off that they would win the title if they avoided defeat in Gloucestershire.

It didn't look as though it would be Hereford's day though as Wotton surged into a 2-0 lead in the opening 10 minutes.

Stewart Goodarzi halved the deficit before half time to set-up a dramatic second half.

Hereford pressed in search of an equaliser and it finally came when Hamish Cameron turned the ball home from a short corner.

"They scored two early goals and at that point it wasn't looking like being our day," said player-coach Andy Rogers.

"They had it in their hands and should have put the game to bed before half time but they didn't and we managed to get one back."

Rogers says goalkeeper Jim Wallace put in an impressive performance in goal while Cameron's vital equaliser was the result of a training ground move.

"We tried to park the bus to see out the last 10 minutes and defended pretty well," added Rogers. "Their best chances were mainly in the first half but we came back well."

Hereford will now be in Conference North next season, a division where Rogers hopes Hereford can impress.

"The league will obviously be stronger but we would like to think we can push for the top half and then see where we are."

In The Marches 1, Hereford 2nd could not replicate their first team's success as they slipped to an eventful 4-3 defeat at home to table toppers Wotton-under-Edge 1st.

There was better news for Leominster in Conference North who beat Newent 7-3, while Leominster 2nd drew 4-4 at Newent 2nd in The Marches 1.

In De Cymru & The Marches 2, Ross slipped to a heavy 8-0 defeat to Aberystwyth University while in the The Marches 2 Ross 2nd went down 3-2 at home to Winchcombe.