By Neil Goulding, English Lacrosse Press Officer (07813 859986)

SHEFFIELD Steelers have plenty to smile about having won this year's Bath Eights tournament.

And incredibly it was the South Yorkshire club's first ever senior tournament win!

Sheffield skipper Simon Jones confirmed: 'We've won league titles before and reached the final of the Junior Flags, but as far as anyone knows at the club, we've never won a tournament before.

'Our juniors are very strong and seem to win titles every year, so it makes a nice change the grown-ups have won something at last.

'It's a great achievement and big boost ahead of the league season. The players can't wait to get back playing regularly again.'

Jones, whose side defeated Heaton Mersey, 4-0 in this year's showcase final, added: 'I'm so proud of all the players.'

'We didn't lose a game all tournament, which is a great record.'

'Our hardest game was against Brooklands Hulmeians, but we overcame that and deserved to win the tournament. We played really well.'

This year the Bath Eights celebrated it's 21st anniversary at the Recreation Ground in the picturesque Georgian town, with a total of 106 games being played over the course of a day.

The high-profile competition serves as a curtain-raiser to the domestic lacrosse season, which kicks off on Saturday 30 September for the Men's North of England League, and the Men's South of England League Premier Division on October 7.

And with convincing victories in this year's semi-finals and final, the Steelers deservedly scooped long-overdue silverware.

Only one other Sheffield team has ever won the Bath competition, with the city's Low Profilers having won four titles (1986, '88, '90, '91) since the tournament's inauguration in 1985/86 season.

The Steelers won their semi-final clash 4-0 against Rochdale, having earlier hammered Poynton 5-1 in the quarter finals.

Mersey progressed to final with a 4-3 double overtime victory over Wilmslow, followed by a 3-2 win over Mellor, the defending champions, in the semi-finals.

Mellor, last year's NOE Premier Division champions, were gunning for a history-making third successive title, never achieved by any club since the competition's inauguration in the 1985/86 season.

But the Longhurst Lane side met their match in Mersey, who would then go on to lose to Sheffield in the final.

The second and final day saw Stellor (a combined Stockport and Mellor team) defeat Cheshire-based Gin & Juice 7-5 to become the new Mixed Tournament champions.

G&J beat Cardiff, one of three Welsh teams competing, 7-3 in the semi-finals, while Stellor, making their debut this season, edged Swansea, 4-2 in their last four clash.

Tournament results
Final: Sheffield Steelers bt Heaton Mersey 4-0.

Semi-finals: Heaton Mersey bt Mellor 3-2, Sheffield Steelers bt Rochdale 4-0.

Quarter-finals: Rochdale bt Timperley 7-6, Sheffield Steelers bt Poynton 5-1, Mellor bt Brooklands Hulmeians 2-1, Heaton Mersey bt Wilmslow 4-3 (after double over-time)

Mixed tournament results

Final: Stellor bt Gin & Juice 7-5 

Semi-final: Gin & Juice bt Cardiff 7-3, Stellor bt Swansea 4-2.

Bath Eights Roll of honour:

1986 - Low Profilers (Sheffield)
1987 - Stockport
1988 - Low Profilers (Sheffield)
1989 - Heaton Mersey
1990 - Low Profilers (Sheffield)
1991 - Low Profilers (Sheffield)
1992 - Cheadle
1993 - Unknown
1994 - Kenton
1995 - Timperley
1996 - Heaton Mersey
1997 - Heaton Mersey
1998 - Timperley
1999 - Timperley
2000 - Wilmslow
2001 - Wilmslow
2002 - Timperley
2003 - Wilmslow
2004 - Mellor
2005 - Mellor
2006 - Sheffield Steelers