Hockey: Doncaster on the brink of National League return

The Town Field ladies’ 2-1 victory leaves them needing just one point from their final two games to secure a return to the top flight.

Their fate, however, is not a forgone conclusion because those two remaining games are against teams still battling it out for a top four finish in the Northern Premier Division.

They host fourth-placed Alderley Edge on Saturday (noon) and finish their season at home to fifth-placed University of Leeds on March 23. 

The top four teams will all be promoted this season, rather than just the champions, as part of a league re-structure.

Doncaster were relegated from the National League in 2014, ending a 22-year stay in the top division.

Kirkby Stephen, struggling at the wrong end of the table, had gone ahead against the run of play.

But Thorpe struck twice in the space of 90 seconds midway through the first period to turn the game on its head.

Doncaster had the better of the second half but could not add to their score.