STYAL are the new Bath Eights champions after they defeated Heaton Mersey in this year's showcase final at the weekend.
The Cheshire-based side defeated their Stockport-based opponents 5-3 at the Recreation Ground in the 22nd year of the popular annual event.
Having whitewashed Lancashire club Rochdale 6-0 in the quarter-finals, Styal made sure of their place in the final with a hard-fought 4-3 win over local neighbours Wilmslow.
A record 33 teams entered this year's two day event, with defending champions Sheffield Steelers failing to even reach the quarter-final stages after their memorable success of 2006.
Cheadle, who took four periods of overtime to beat Brooklands Hulmeians 2-1 in the quarters, progressed to this year's semis, but came unstuck against Mersey who beat them 3-1, while Mellor went out to Mersey, beaten 3-1 in the quarters.
Hampstead made waves by becoming the first southern side for a few seasons to reach the quarters.
But having led 4-0 against Wilmslow, they slipped to an agonising 5-4 defeat after overtime and were eliminated from the tournament.
Surprisingly, tournament hosts Bath finished as wooden spoonists. Last year they finished halfway up the standings, but decided to blood youngsters this year.
Meanwhile, last year's winners Steelers experienced mixed emotions. The defending champions failed to hold on to their title, but took plenty of heart from some excellent performances from the development side they sent to the competition.
Steelers may not have sparkled in the picturesque Georgian town, but the Abbeydale Sports Club outfit got plenty of useful practice under their belts in readiness for the start of the Men's North of England Division Two on Saturday 29th September. The Men's South of England Leagues face-off the following weekend on Saturday 6th October.
Last year Steelers whitewashed Mersey 4-0 in the competition's showcase final, having early thumped Rochdale 4-0 in the semis, as well as having cruised to a 5-1 win over Poynton in the quarters.
However, competition was fierce this season with many teams all gunning for the title. And with a string of first team players missing, which included star international goalkeeper Simon Firth-Jones, Steelers did well to finish in 16th position, halfway up the overall standings.
'We never really expected to win the title this year, but we knew if we played well we'd have a chance,' said Firth-Jones, whose side were eight places away from qualifying for the quarters.
'It was good for some of the younger players to get a run out and also a good opportunity for our new local development officer Omar Dupree to mix with the team and get a taste of British lacrosse.'
This year's Mixed Tournament, played on Sunday, was won by Stellor Pints (a combined Stockport and Mellor side) for the second year running. The Cheshire club finished top of the round-robin standings out of nine clubs with 64 points.
Teams were awarded ten points for a win, five for a draw and one for every goal they scored. Cardiff Club (56pts) finished second, with third-placed Gin & Juice (former winners, 34pts) and Bath Exiles (University old boys, 31pts) also progressing to the semi finals.
Stellor Pints, who also fielded a second team this year aptly named Stellor Half Pints, beat Gin & Juice 5-4 in their semi showdown, while Cardiff beat Exiles 6-5 in this year's other last four clash.
With halves increased to seven minutes from five for the final, Stellor Pints took advantage and cruised to an 11-2 victory against Cardiff Club, the Welsh team appearing in their first Mixed final at the event.
Tournament organiser John Harrop reflected on an another successful tournament by saying: 'It's been hard work this year with 100 games being played on the Saturday, over 400 players and then the Mixed Tournament on the Sunday, but once again we've had a fantastic weekend.'
And despite rumblings that the tournament could be in it's last year because of proposed plans by Bath Rugby Club to take over the ground next season, Harrop was happy to report.
'It's an ongoing matter, but as of next week we should have booked the ground for next year's event. We'll do everything in our power to make sure this popular event continues.'
Bath Eights Tournament (Recreation Ground, Bath) - Final: Styal 5 Heaton Mersey 3. Semis: Styal 4 Wilmslow 3, Heaton Mersey 3 Cheadle 1. Quarters: Wilmslow 5 Hampstead 4 (after overtime), Styal 6 Rochdale 0, Cheadle 2 Brooklands Hulmeians 1 (after four periods of overtime), Heaton Mersey 3 Mellor 1.
Final standings (quarter-final qualification): 1. Wilmslow, 2. Mellor, 3. Cheadle, 4. Rochdale Cowboys, 5. Styal, 6. Brooklands Hulmeians, 7. Heaton Mersey, 8. Hampstead.
Rest of the standings: 9. Timperley, 10. Rochdale Indians, 11. Buckhurst Hill, 12. Poynton, 13. Heaton Mersey 2s, 14. Hitchin, 15. Manchester Waconians, 16. Sheffield Steelers, 17. Nottingham, 18. Boardman and Eccles, 19. Norbury, 20. Durham, 21. Welwyn, 22. Spencer, 23. Reading, 24. East Coast (Norwich), 25. Cardiff, 26. Heaton Mersey Guild, 27. East Grinstead, 28. Bath University, 29. Sheffield University, 30. Hillcroft, 31. Penarth, 32. Exiles (Bath), 33. Bath.
Mixed tournament - Final: Stellor Pints 11 Cardiff Club 2. Semis: Stellor Pints 5 Gin & Juice 4, Cardiff Club 6 Exiles (Bath) 5.
Round-robin standings: 1. Stellor Pints (64pts), 2. Cardiff Club (56pts), 3.Gin & Juice (30pts), 4, Exiles (Bath, 31pts), Joint 5th, Cardiff Harlequins and Reading (30ps), 6, Bath University (29pts), 7, Stellor Half Pints (21pts), 8. Bath City (5pts).
