PwC Mixed Division Three had promised a close battle for the championship title from the very beginning of the season, and that’s how it turned out.

The three Colts teams had set themselves apart from the rest of the league early in the campaign, pushing each other throughout.

While some unlucky early results for Harlequins had left them out of the title battle in the final week, a snow-delayed fixture meant that Vikings and Saracens Colts met each other in a winner-takes-all match at an unseasonably warm and calm King William’s College last Wednesday evening.

The atmosphere at the pitch was electric, both teams being buoyed up for a season decider, and a collection of parents and spectators provided a larger crowd than was present for the cup final the previous weekend.

Both clubs fielded teams substantially comprised of players that had been contesting the league all season, many in their first year at senior level - although doubtless not their last.

The pace began at lightning speed, each side passing the ball swiftly round the pitch at a level of finesse far beyond the Division Three nature of the tie would suggest. Saracens settled marginally more quickly and, after only five minutes, found themselves with a free hit on the edge of Vikings circle.

Scott Mason took the free hit, ran it around the edge of the circle, before landing a well-placed cross on the stick of Sophie Howland, one of the season’s new players at 14 years of age. She swiftly and effectively placed the ball into the bottom of the Vikings goal to put Southerners in the lead.

Play continued at a frenetic pace and the crowd reasonably expected a high-scoring match. But this was not to be, despite endless chances at both ends.

Vikings saw the larger number of chances, including a number of short corners that always looked dangerous but went inches wide on several occasions.

Shortly after half-time, Vikings pressure and well-worked short corners paid off. Archie Caley, who together with brother Eddie has been scoring at will all season, deftly placed a first-touch clean into the Saracens net.

For the rest of the half, pressure continued at both ends, although Vikings always looked more dangerous on the break.

Saracens keeper Paul Bridson and his son Will, at centre-back, were instrumental in keeping Saracens in the game.

Paul made a couple of critical saves of the highest class in the last 10 minutes, denying Vikings goals that would have found the back of the net 95 per cent of the time in this league.

In a very even contest, a draw was sufficient to keep Saracens at the top of the table, winning the title and gaining promotion.

But this was a game in which all players could feel significant pride - it would seem likely that many will meet each other in future at a higher level.