EAST Grinstead are celebrating after winning their fourth Super Sixes Indoor Hockey Championships in a row.

The Gladiators overcame Reading in a dramatic penalty shoot-out to reach the final at Wembley Arena on Sunday, before turning on the style against Beeston to win 8-5 and claim a fifth title overall.

And East Grinstead did it without the influential Mark Pearn, who was a late absentee after being taken ill hours before the finals.

But captain Scott Ashdown said the team pulled together, with everyone contributing to the success.

He said: "It would have been great to have Mark, but when you have several internationals like we do, you still have the strength in depth to deal with it if one doesn't play.

Ashdown added that the squad was relieved to win the thrilling shoot-out in the semi-final against Reading, which saw Iain Lewers hit the winning sudden death penalty stroke after Richard Potton saved Simon Martell's effort for Reading.

He said: "In all honesty, Reading are our danger team and they can score a lot of goals.

"We always have close games and our biggest battles with them, so to win like that gave us confidence for the final."

A hat-trick from David De Prez and braces from Great Britain international Ashley Jackson and Daniel Koschyk then saw the side home in the final, together with a strike from Ashdown.

And the captain said winning the Super Sixes for a fourth time in a row would give the East Grinstead squad confidence going into their European Indoor Club Championship campaign in Hamburg next month.

"That will be tough," said Ashdown.

"It is a step up for sure, but there is no better preparation for it than winning this again."

Ashdown is cautiously optimistic about East Grinstead's chances though, adding that he felt the squad was capable of becoming the first English side to win a medal.

He said: "I think if we have our top people fresh we could be aiming for a possible medal.

"We are playing against the elite in Europe and we need our best players who can make that difference with their experience and their ability."

East Grinstead's Great Britain internationals will now go away for a two-week training camp in South Africa, before returning in time for the European Indoor Club Championships.

Ashdown added: "How fatigued they are from that may well have a bearing on how well we do."

For more photos and reaction from the finals day at Wembley Arena, see page 47.