Oxford Hawks men suffered heartbreak as their South League Premier 2 promotion hopes were dashed with a 4-3 defeat at Barnes in the final game.

Hawks, looking to repeat their 10-1 demolition of Barnes earlier in the season, needed to win to go up, while the home side required victory to stay in the league.

The game did not go to plan for Hawks, who looked nervous and never produced their normal free-flowing hockey.

They went one down within five minutes but responded with a well-taken goal by Freddie Coppin.

Hawks were unable to lift the tempo but Adam LePage put them in the lead after a cross found him with just the goalkeeper to beat.

The impetus did not stay with Hawks for long as Barnes levelled to make it all-square at half-time.

In the second half Dave Cresswell dragged a short corner into the bottom of the goal, but Barnes struck twice, including a sickening winner 11 minutes from time that took a deflection.

Eastbourne managed a 2-2 draw at Lewes to pip Hawks to promotion on goal difference – a bitter pill for the Oxford side who, for most of the season, sat on top of the league, and at one stage were seven points clear.

Oxford University finished as the highest Oxfordshire men’s side, taking fourth place in Premier Division 1 after hammering the bottom club Maidstone 8-0.

Adam Jordan (3), Mathew Wood (2), Will Alderton, Alex Evans and Paul Walker scored for the students.

Banbury ended in sixth place, and also finished the season in style with a 5-2 win at Milton Keynes.

One down at half-time, Banbury stormed back, with George Brooker, Matthew Bull, Dave Clarke, Richard Foreman and Adrian Simons all on target.

Dan Smyth’s hat-trick gave Rover Oxford a 3-3 draw at home to Staines 2nd, and fifth place in the Regional division.

Alun Lloyd’s double brought Wallingford a 2-1 win at West Hampstead 2nd.

City of Oxford, safe in Regional 2, beat Amersham & Chalfont 3-2 thanks to goals from Keith Simpson, Andy Small and Tom Small.

Witney beat Henley 2nd to clinch back-to-back promotions. Goals for the team coached by Matt Bull came from Ben Wells (3) and Chris Partridge (2).

OTHER SCORES Ox Hawks 2nd 3 (R Craig 2, J Silman), W Hampstead 2nd 5; Newbury 3, Rover Ox 2nd 1 (A Jurisich); Bicester 4 (C Ruff 2, J Roger, W Dobbins), Newbury 0; Hawks 3rd 3 (C Snelling, C Macfarlane, S Cox), Rover 3rd 1; M Keynes 5, Banbury 2nd 1 (G Brown); Amersham & Ch 4th 4, Hawks 4th 0; Hawks Fledglings 3, M Keynes 2; Chichester Vets 5, Hawks Senators 0; Eastcote 3rd 4, Banbury 3rd 0; Reading Rovers 3, Banbury 4th 0;Wallingford 2nd 4, Witney 2nd 1 (J Deacon); Hawks Fal-cons 3 (M Crampton-Smith, D Hughes, R Meadows), Woking PTE 2; M Keynes 2nd 1, City of Ox 2nd 0; City 5th 5, Abingdon 3rd 0; City Bulls 1 (A Bowen), Basingstoke Vets 6; Witney 3rd 5 (N Vigar 2, P Hood, R Dyer, B Baker), Henley 4th 1; Witney 5th 2 M Jarvis, P Summers), Thame 2nd 1; Slough 3rd 3, Bicester 2nd 0; Sonning 6th 1, Bicester 4th 3 (L Smith 2, C Birch).