THIS Sunday Ben Rhydding Ladies have their biggest game of the season as they play for the first time ever in the semi-final of the England Hockey Knockout Cup (hockey's equivalent of the FA Cup).

Club president Katie Priestley said: The squad is excited for the fantastic opportunity this gives them to compete at the highest level and, hopefully, gain a place in the final at the Lee Valley stadium.

"Their opponents on Sunday are the top London side, Hampstead and Westminster, who include former Ben Rhydding player, Amy Askew, and are coached by England Under-18 coach Sarah Kelleher and former GB captain and gold medal winner Kate Richardson-Walsh.

"The game starts at noon and should be great spectacle for hockey in Yorkshire."

With promotion ensured, Ben Rhydding Ladies enjoyed the best of an open game last Saturday against Sutton Coldfield, winning 5-2.

At half-time the score was 1-1 with a ninth goal of the season for leading scorer Beth Cordukes, countered by a penalty corner goal by Vicky Woolford for Sutton Coldfield.

In the second half, Rhydding had much more of the play and scored four more through Kate Wood, Rafaela Brandao-Lee, Kelly Baxter and Sophie Davies.

This Saturday they travel to Leeds for a big local derby at 2pm.

The Ben Rhydding Men will have their biggest game of the season at 3pm this Saturday when they play Neston, needing a win to ensure promotion.

With results elsewhere going their way, a win against Leeds last Saturday would have sealed promotion for the Ben Rhydding Men in a competitive North Division One.

So it was frustrating to see a well won 2-0 lead dwindle away in the second half to a 2-2 draw against Leeds.

George Gamble put away the first goal after just 10 minutes and this was followed three minutes later as Charlie Smith scored with a fine deflection just in front of goal.

More goals should have come their way, but proved much more difficult to put away and a number of short corners were squandered.

In the second half, Leeds managed to claw back the two-goal deficit through short corner goals.

Despite a late onslaught, Ben Rhydding were unable to get the winner.