ALDERLEY Edge Hock Club's men's and women's first teams will both play in North Premier Leagues for the first time in the club’s history next season.

This follows the women, coached by John Bell and managed by Andy Park, having their promotion confirmed this week.

They had secured second place in North League Division One the previous weekend and their promotion hopes rested on Belper losing or drawing against Liverpool Sefton in the Premier League.

Belper's 2-1 loss means the Invstec Trophy finalists can now look forward to facing some of the very best teams north of the midlands.

“Getting promotion into North Premier League for our ladies' first team is a fantastic achievement and built on many years development of our own talent by our brilliant team of coaches and volunteers,” said club president Graham Bryant.

Champagne was definitely the order of the day for the team as they also beat Wilmslow on Saturday in the semi finals of the Cheshire Cup.

The attack proved too strong for Wilmslow, with Edge finding the back of the net four times courtesy of Ellie Ward, two, Amanda Bennison and Lexi Archer.

They will face Brooklands Poynton in the final on April 8.

The club’s commitment to developing its own future stars was in evidence over the weekend when the under 11s girls, coached by Louise Barber, clinched the Greater Manchester Junior Hockey League title. Edge's under 10s finished runners up in the In2hockey Cheshire tournament, losing to Timperley on penalty flicks.

The under 14s boys faced tough opposition in the EH North Finals, drawing against Beeston and Deeside but lost out to eventual winners Harrogate who now head to the National Finals.