The finals of the England Hockey Women’s Premier Division got into action at the Nottingham Hockey Centre. Champions Surbiton are aiming to retain the title they won last year. East Grinstead stood in their way in the semi final, whilst the other semi-final pitted Hampstead and Westminster against Reading.

Here’s how the games went.

Hampstead and Westminster 1-1 Reading (Reading win 2-0 on shootout.)

Nikki Cochrane was Reading’s shootout hero as the Sonning Lane side held their nerve to win a tense shootout with Hampstead and Westminster to reach tomorrow’s final.

The teams couldn’t be separated as they were locked at 1-1 during normal time so a shootout was needed to settle the tie, with Reading running out 2-0 winners.

In a game of few chances, it was The ‘Ding who broke the deadlock in the 39th minute. A superb run from Jo Pinner caused chaos in the Hampstead defence and with players stopping for what they thought was a foul, Caroline Spence didn’t hang around and rifled the ball home off the goalkeeper.

Hampstead stepped up the pressure as the clock ran down and with four minutes left to play got their reward. A powerful run round the right from Phoebe Willars broke through the defence and her cross was diverted in by a defender to make it 1-1.

Cochrane denied Catherine Ledesma and Sofia Martin, Tyler Lench fired wide and Olivia Hamilton was adjudged to have scored with her back stick in the shootout. Although Hampstead goalkeeper Miriam Pritchard kept out Emma Findlay and Jo Pinner was timed out, Mia Moore’s outrageous lob left Abbie Dixon with the chance to win it, which she did.

Surbiton 3-2 East Grinstead.

Darcy Bourne’s double fired Surbiton into tomorrow’s final and kept the Sugden Road side on course to retain their title after a nervy 3-2 win over East Grinstead.

Surbiton made a dream start with Bourne bagging a penalty corner in the third minute and Erica Sanders making it 2-0 just a minute later, however despite their fast start, Surbiton were made to fight all the way by East Grinstead.

Theo Dowse’s side recovered from the early setback to pull one back from the penalty spot thanks to Biba Mills. Mills then rattled a penalty corner into the pads of Amber Walton in the Surbiton goal.

Sanders picked another East Grinstead penalty corner off the line as Surbiton came under tremendous pressure, however they also created chances of their own. Mila Welch did well to see off a flick from Bourne and keep her side in the hunt.

With ten minutes left to play, Mills grabbed her second and looked to have saved East Grinstead with time running out. The drama was not done there. Bourne pounced on a loose ball in the circle to stab home from close range and send Surbiton into the final.