A turbulent season ended in the best possible way on Saturday when Barnsley secured the Yorkshire League Six South title with a 3-1 win over Worksop 2nd XI at Darton College.

The Reds, who gained four successive promotions after being set up in 2008, considered folding in the summer due to a lack of players but instead went down several divisions.

They have been successful on the pitch but have struggled off it with key players David Maine and Sandy Barclay being banned for ten and six matches for comments they made on Facebook about a referee.

Barclay said: "It's been a difficult season and at times we have ridden our luck. But to be promoted as champions after all the trouble we've had in the close season and during the season is a real plus."

Worksop took the lead on Saturday but James Rawling bundled in a scrappy equaliser before Neil Carr and Maine scored fine goals to secure the 3-1 win. The town team had to wait until 9pm that night for the results of other matches to be added to the Yorkshire Hockey website. They eventually got confirmation that Sheffield University Bankers had beaten Normanby Park, which meant that the Reds were champions.