Slazenger secured safety from relegation with this comfortable derby victory over their College Grove rivals.
For the first time since the mid-season break, the Horbury side were able to select a team from a full strength squad with the welcome return of James Swinden and Will Buckley from long term hand injuries.
Buoyed by this, Slazenger started this North League East Division 2 fixture the stronger and were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty stroke in the early minutes when a Wakefield defender appeared to stop the ball on the goal-line with his food.
A combination of torrential rain and howling gale brought the teams off for five minutes, but on the resumption, Slazenger took the lead with Mark Swinden quickest to react in a goalmouth scramble. Five minutes later they doubled their advantage from a well worked penalty corner converted by Richard Whawell.
Slazenger continued to play some attractive passing hockey and Paul Wiper made it three with a powerful reverse stick.
Wakefield rallied at the start of the second half and were unlucky to have a goal controversially disallowed by the umpire.
Although this was a derby match, it was played in good spirit. One player from each side was sin-binned in the second half, but both can count themselves unfortunate.
It was Slazenger who took advantage with player-coach Mike Thornicroft cooly converting a penalty stroke awarded after an illegal stop on the line.
Wakefield grabbed a consolation goal towards the end but the game had long since been won by Slazenger.
The two teams meet again on Sunday, March 28th when they will contest the Yorkshire Cup final at the LA Metros ground in Adel, Leeds. Push back is at 1:30pm.
