National Indoor Hockey Championships 2010
Trent FM Arena Nottingham, 30-31 January 2010
| U16 Boys Schools | RGS High Wycome | 3 | (3) | - | 8 | (5) | Whitgift School | Report |
| U16 Girls Schools | Millais School | 8 | (6) | - | 5 | (1) | Wakefield Grammar School | Report |
| U18 Boys Schools | Ipswich School | 2 | (1) | v | 3 | (1) | The Perse School | Report |
| U18 Girls Schools | Kingston Grammar | 4 | (1) | v | 8 | (2) | Repton | Report |
| Women's Semi 1 | Canterbury | 1 | (1) | v | 3 | (1) | Leicester | Report |
| Women's Semi 2 | Slough (3-2 APS) | 2 | (1) | v | 2 | (1) | Bowdon Hightown | Report |
| U16 Boys Clubs | Bromley & B'ham | 7 | (5) | v | 3 | (2) | Havant | Report |
| U16 Girls Clubs | Trojans | 7 | (6) | v | 3 | (1) | Beeston | Report |
| U18 Boys Clubs | Beeston | 1 | (0) | v | 6 | (4) | Old Loughtonians | Report |
| U18 Girls Clubs | Beeston | 0 | (0) | v | 5 | (2) | Belper | Report |
| Men's Semi 1 | L'borough Students | 5 | (0) | v | 7 | (4) | Surbiton | Report |
| Men's Semi 2 | East Grinstead | 7 | (2) | v | 5 | (3) | Reading | Report |
| Women's Final | Leicester (2-1 APS) |
2 | (1) | v | 2 | (1) | Slough | Report |
| Men's Final | East Grinstead | 9 | (4) | v | 5 | (1) | Surbiton | Report |
| Royal Grammar School High Wycombe | 3 | (3) |
| James Wrightson 13,15 (F,F) | ||
| Josh Mardell 15 (PC) | ||
| Whitgift School | 8 | (5) |
| Harrison Sellers 7,11,16,25 (F,F,F,F) | ||
| Jonty Griffiths 8,9,19 (F,F,F) | ||
| Rob Farrington 10 (F) |
An action-packed final started off the National Indoor Hockey Championships (NIHC) weekend in Nottingham and saw Whitgift lift the U16 boys’ schools trophy, making it two national indoor titles in a row.
The game began evenly with both sides exerting pressure early on. It was after a time-out mid way through the opening spell that Whitgift started to take the command. First to score was Harrison Sellers with great build-up by Oliver Preston and Rob Farrington. Jonty Griffiths, who was a member of the side that won last year’s U16 boys final, was next up to put the ball in the goal. In response, Wycombe continued putting pressure on Whitgift but were without luck as a number of goal bound efforts were well defended.
Midway through the half Whitgift experienced something of goal scoring spurt with five goals in as many minutes. Griffiths found the net again before Luke Taylor’s speed up the left side opened the space for a pass to Rob Farrington whose shot went straight in. Rounding off Whitgift’s first half scoring, Harrison Sellers scored his second goal putting the team in white well in command.
Royal Grammar School High Wycombe finally got the credit their hard work deserved with two minutes until the break when Marcus Wilson passed to James Wrighton who scored an excellent goal before scoring again two minutes later. Sandwiched between Wrighton’s double, Josh Mardell netted a corner to bring the Wycombe side to within two goals of Whitgift; 3-5 at the break.
Whitgift began the second half with high intensity. Harrison Sellers completed his hat-trick after a well executed three on one attack a minute into the second half. Wycombe goalkeeper, Joshua Hodges, who played very well, was constantly under pressure and when Jonty Griffiths showed off his skills by dribbling through the Wycombe defence Hodges could do nothing about the Whitgift boy scoring his team’s seventh.
Excellent teamwork was consistently on show between Rob Farrington and Harrison Sellers and it paid off in the build-up to Sellers’ fourth goal. Wycombe had clever breaks towards the end but the Whitgift defence stood solid and the game finished with Whitgift winning a well deserved victory of 8-3.
Both teams gave the Nottingham audience a entertaining and energy filled game to kick off a great weekend of hockey at the Trent FM Arena Nottingham.
| Millais School | 8 | (6) |
| Lucy Wood 1,5,15,14 (F,F,F,F) | ||
| Jess Dean 4,15 (F,F) | ||
| Rebecca Heslop 6 (F) | ||
| Amelia Frett 25 (F) | ||
| Wakefield Girls High School | 5 | (1) |
| Lauren Grundy 12 (PC) | ||
| Daisy Morgan 24,27,28,28 (F,F,F,F) |
The girl’s U16 schools final between Millais School and Wakefield Girls High School perfectly demonstrated the wealth of talent on show at the National Indoor Hockey Championships in Nottingham this weekend. A hard fought match with both teams giving it everything they had, proved to be an enthralling display of hockey with Millais coming out on top, 8-5 the final score.
The match began with good early attacking pressure from Millais. Jess Dean, the captain instrumental in the early pressure, crossed the ball to find Lucy Wood who knocked the ball into the back of the net with ease. Wakefield battled back and produced some good passing movements, leading to a penalty corner being given; unfortunately their early pressure came to nothing.
Millais went on to win a penalty corner after some more quick exchanges of play and good movement to confuse the opposition. The penalty corner was taken by Izzy Wood who pushed it to Dean, who made no mistake in putting her team two nil in the lead. A great individual effort shortly after with some great stick work to take it around several players saw Lucy Wood score her second. Millais continued to put Wakefield under the cosh and were relentless in their attack, capitalising on a good passing movement and a tap in at the far post by Rebecca Heslop.
With Wakefield unable to see a way forward and four nil down, the incentive was there for Millais to go on and put themselves further in the lead, but Wakefield battling hard won a penalty corner; the ball played across the circle and then back inside to find Laura Grundy, who hammered a shot into the net.
Not content with their 4-1 lead Millais applied their skill and team efforts, with a good advantage decision giving Lucy Wood the opportunity to score for Millais with less than a minute to be played of the first half. And there was still time for Dean to score to make it 6 -1 at half time.
There was a change of goalkeeper for Millais at the beginning of the second half and a change in the play led to Wakefield having greater possession of the ball. Frustratingly the Yorkshire side was unable to make it count, putting the ball wide of the goal and making the replacement goalkeeper Georgia Frett work hard.
At the other end, with six minutes of the half played, Lucy Wood picked up the ball on the outside of the circle and with another fantastic individual effort scored to make it 7-1 to Millais.
But Wakefield had not given up hope to turn this final around and good perseverance from Mollie Rawnsley allowed her teammate Lucy Morgan to capitalise on a defensive error to make it 7-2. Millais rallied again with a reverse push from Amelia Frett restoring their six goal lead.
Wakefield though were not about to give up and brought the match to an exciting climax with three goals in two minutes. Morgan led the charge for Wakefield, scoring the third in the 27th minute and completing her hat-trick less than a minute later to make it 8-4. With two minutes remaining it was Morgan again who scored her side’s fifth goal, a valiant fight back at the end of a mesmerising match.
Despite the late onslaught Millais held on to win the match 8-5 to become the first ever winners of the new look U16 Girls Schools National Indoor Hockey Championships title.
| Ipswich School | 2 | (1) |
| Charlie Hardman 11 (F) | ||
| Josh Godfrey 27 (F) | ||
| The Perse School | 3 | (2) |
| Michael Franklin 3,20 (PS,PC) | ||
| Hugo Christie 21 (PC) |
Heated and emotional were the keywords for the U18 Boys Schools final this first day of the National Indoor Hockey Championships (NIHC) in Nottingham. In the past three years both these schools had won the NIHC so there was nothing less to be expected.
Ipswich had the first chance to open the scoring, with Josh Fry using the boards effectively to open up The Perse School, however they failed to make it count. Both teams displayed some excellent attacking sequences but it was Perse who got the first reward, winning an early penalty corner that lead to a penalty stroke after hitting an Ipswich foot on the goal line. Up stepped Michael Franklin, an England U18 international, to score with a shot low to the keeper’s right.
Perse continued to pressure the team in navy blue and had several penalty corners but to no avail. Their captain, Duncan Graves, played skilfully and was unlucky not to score. A switch in play led Ipswich’s Harry Martin to pass the ball to Charlie Hardman for an equaliser in the 11th minute. Ipswich passed up the opportunity to take a lead into the break when they failed with a penalty corner late in the half and it was all square as the teams left the field at half time.
Early in the second half Perse were awarded a penalty corner but good goalkeeping from Ashwin Raj kept the score level. Ipswich had two more penalty corners of their own but the Perse defence stood solid. Perse built on this and from a penalty corner at the other end Franklin scored his and his team’s second. A minute later, after yet another penalty corner, Hugo Christie made it 1-3 to The Perse School.
Seeking a way back into the match Ipswich continued to attack. When Andrew Meredith in the Perse goal was beaten it was a well placed Franklin who cleared on the goal line. The scare reinvigorated The Perse School who returned pressure, causing confusion in the Ipswich defence but failing to make it count. A missed penalty stroke by The Perse School’s Ben Creese looked as if it might be critical when great teamwork from Ipswich’s Martin and Hardman created the space for Josh Godfrey to score, making the score 3-2 with three minutes remaining.
A nerve-racking last couple of minutes followed, with both teams fighting for victory. Ipswich applied extreme pressure on Perse as they attempted to bring the tie level but with the crowd counting the clock down The Perse School held out for the narrowest of victories after an intense final. 3-2 the final score.
| Kingston Grammar School | 4 | (1) |
| Molly Hanson-Akins 7,22 (F,PC) | ||
| Katie Shanahan 24,27 (PS,PC) | ||
| Repton School | 8 | (2) |
| Jo Leigh 3,25 (F,F) | ||
| Ellie Green 5,23 (F,F) | ||
| Sophie Hawkins 20 (PS) | ||
| Shona McCallin 23 (F) | ||
| Rebecka Siebert 24 (F) | ||
| Wiz Mumby 26 (F) |
The Girls U18 School Final, between Kingston Grammar and Repton, promised to be a tight match up. With Kingston having won the national indoor title in 2007-08 and Repton having an array of National Age Group Squad international players, this could have gone either way.
Repton opened with the early pressure and led the attack, producing the first of three penalty corners but were unable to convert the first two. They scored the third though with a tap in at the post by Jo Leigh taking an early lead. Two minutes later Ellie Green put Repton two up and in relative control.
It was Kingston’s turn to respond and with three excellent attacking plays they were unlucky not to make their efforts count, until Molly Hanson–Akins popped up to score Kingston’s first of the game on seven minutes. Kingston continued to put pressure on Repton but Hanson- Akins was thwarted in a one-on-one Repton went into the break 2-1 ahead.
Kingston came out of the blocks raring to go and had all of the early pressure with several shots on goal and a penalty corner, all of which Repton repelled. Had Kingston made their pressure count the result of the game could have been very different but Repton retaliated.
In the 20th minute, Repton were awarded with a penalty stroke which Sophie Hawkins converted low into the corner of the goal. Although the Issy Rice in goal had guessed correctly she could do nothing to keep Hawkins from extending Repton’s lead to two goals.
Two minutes later, a Kingston penalty corner led to a scramble in the Repton defence and with the defence unable to clear the ball Hanson–Akins poked it into the net to make the score 3-2.
By now the match was being played at a frenetic pace from end to end and Repton hit back with an instant reply from captain Ellie Green followed up by a Shona McCallin goal for 5-2.
A second penalty stroke of the match was awarded, this time to Kingston after a deliberate foot inside the circle and Katie Shanahan scored, slipping the ball to the right of the keeper. It was not enough though as Repton scored another two goals in quick succession through Rebecka Siebert and Leigh, her second of the match. More pressure from Repton led to a great double save by Kingston’s goalkeeper Rice who was unfortunate that the ball only found its way straight to Repton girl Wiz Mumby to make it eight.
Kingston had one more goal in them, scored by Shanahan, leaving the final score at 8- 4 at the conclusion of a great final and great advert for indoor hockey; a game filled with goals, excitement and skill.
| Canterbury | 1 | (1) |
| Lucy Barnes 8 (F) | ||
| Leicester | 3 | (1) |
| Rebecca Herbert 11 (F) | ||
| Chloe Rogers 26,39 (F,F) |
Two moments of Leicester genius lit up an otherwise tame first women’s semi final against Canterbury at the National Indoor Hockey Championships in Nottingham on Sunday evening.
The East Midlands side had to come from behind as they attempt to win their first Indoor Championships title since 1978.
There was an edgy feel to the game with neither side willing to concede ground to the other, the result being that both sides cancelled each other out in the early stages. Leicester appeared content to allow Canterbury possession in their own half without any real Canterbury penetration.
Canterbury won a penalty corner with six minutes on the clock but Leicester’s England U21 goalkeeper Maddie Hinch (below) made a good sliding save. There followed an identical opportunity that Hinch again kept out. Leicester then found themselves inside the Canterbury circle, drawing Scotland and Great Britain goalkeeper Abi Walker out but were unable to capitalise as Canterbury’s defence recovered to clear the danger.
Canterbury’s Lucy Barnes broke the deadlock to put the Kent side ahead in the eighth minute, slotting the ball home inside the near post.
Kerry Williams had half a chance to equalise shortly afterwards but found herself in a heap on the floor after a collision with Walker and the opportunity was lost. Three minutes after going behind Leicester, resplendent in their bright orange kit, were level after a superb piece of individual skill from their England and Great Britain international Rebecca Herbert. After skilfully eluding the tackles of two Canterbury players she advanced with pace on Walker’s goal before clinically lifting it high into the net to make the score one apiece.
After the goals, play reverted to its earlier pattern of possession and counter possession. Jen Wilson intercepted well for Canterbury but failed to find the final touch after taking the ball around the onrushing Hinch.
Williams and Lucy Brown both took advantage of slack Canterbury play but, like Wilson, failed to make their opponents pay as the match came to the break.
There was a similar opening to the second period with Lucy Brown enjoying the first chance of the half before Leicester pounced to take the lead in the 26th minute through another piece of excellent individual skill, this time from Chloe Rogers. Breaking through the top of the circle, Rogers dummied her pass across the goal before side stepping to slot the ball home low inside Walker’s right post to give Leicester the lead.
Both teams traded penalty corners around the half hour mark with neither side able to score that critical next goal. The goal had helped Leicester gain more of a foothold in the match although Canterbury’s Natalie Seymour was unlucky to see her effort cleared after forcing the ball through the legs of the diving Hinch.
On the break Leicester won a penalty corner which brought out a brave block with her chest by Walker from Rogers’ point blank flick and Rogers looked certain to guarantee her team’s progress shortly after when the ball broke to her with the goal gaping. On the angle her shot was well blocked by the stick of the recovering Mel Clewlow and Canterbury retained hope of a place in the final.
That was not to be though as Rogers added a third Leicester goal from an acute angle with just over 60 seconds remaining to put Leicester into Sunday’s final.
The women’s final takes place at 16:10 on Sunday afternoon and can be seen live on Sky Sports 3.
Slough 2 (1) **Slough win 3-2 APS **
Alex Scott 18 (F)
Jane Smith 26 (F)
Bowdon Hightown 2 (1)
Tina Cullen 6,29 (F,F)
Saturday’s second women’s semi final at the National Indoor Hockey Championships in Nottingham brought together two teams that met in last year’s final and proved to be a hard fought battle between two great teams.
Bowdon Hightown began the match well with an early shot from Nicky O’Donnell down the centre of the goal easily saved by the Slough’s England and Great Britain goalkeeper Becky Duggan. Slough came back with a penalty corner; Ashleigh Ball (pictured below) pushed the ball to former international star Jane Smith whose shot was charged down well. Despite both teams enjoying early passages of play and possession neither really threatened the other.
Bowdon Hightown opened the scoring in the sixth minute through their taliswoman Tina Cullen, who received a pass across the circle and put the ball past Duggan, pushing it across the goal to score into the bottom left hand corner.
Slough responded with a fast and furious series of penalty corners but the Cheshire defence stood strong. When Slough did level things it came on the counter after a Bowdon Hightown set piece was well saved by Duggan (pictured at bottom of report). Breaking down the right side of the pitch, Alex Scott pulled back inside before slotting it past the Kirsty Mackay in the Bowdon Hightown goal.
The goal had come just two minutes before the break, welcome relief for Slough as the half time whistle went.
Slough came out for the second half the brighter of the two sides. Two early penalty corners kept the pressure on Bowdon Hightown’s England and GB goalkeeper Mackay, who made a series of excellent saves, a tip over the bar the best of the bunch. Slough’s efforts paid off when a move down the right hand side allowed Smith the space to ease Slough in front, 2-1.
The 2009 Champions were not down and out though and Cullen was not going home without a fight. Three minutes after falling behind, they were level. A ball across the Slough circle fell straight into the path of Cullen who scored the equaliser with still a full 11 minutes remaining.
The goal put Bowdon Hightown on the front foot and they continued to bear down on the Slough goal with three penalty corners in the final five minutes of the match. Despite the high intensity pressure the Slough defence battled well time and again to maintain the deadlock and send the match into a nail biting semi final shoot out.
Slough scorer Alex Scott stepped up first and netted to the delight of the crowd. Bowdon Hightown’s Tina Cullen missed their first stroke but when Chloe Strong and Fiona Greenham both missed for Slough and Michelle Liptrot netted after Sam Quek had missed it went to sudden death.
The order of strokes was reversed but both Scott and Liptrot scored and it remained level. A series of superb goalkeeping saves and missed efforts kept the crowd on tenterhooks before Chloe Strong put Slough into the final against Leicester on Sunday afternoon.
The women’s final takes place at 16:10 on Sunday afternoon and can be seen live on Sky Sports 3.
| Bromley & Beckenham | 7 | (5) |
| Harry Sellers 3,6,11,26,28 (PC,F,PC,F,F) | ||
| Harry Sainsbury 11 (F) | ||
| Rob Farrington 14 (F) | ||
| Havant | 3 | (2) |
| George Cairns 4 (F) | ||
| Josh Gibbard 5 (F) | ||
| Sam Hatherley 21 (F) |
A man of the match performance from Bromley & Beckenham’s Harry Sellers clinched the U18 Boys Clubs title at the National Indoor Hockey Championships in Nottingham on Sunday morning against Havant.
From the outset Bromley & Beckenham (B&B) took the game to Havant with Harry Sainsbury forcing Havant goalkeeper Matt Levy into an early save. Less than a minute later the other Harry, Harry Sellers, had his goal bound shot cleared off the line by Havant’s Daniel Faulkner.
It was not long before B&B broke the deadlock through Harry Sellers’ low flick at a penalty corner but Havant were level almost immediately through George Cairns who pushed home after good work from a teammate down the left hand side. Havant then took the lead a minute later through Josh Gibbard who tapped in from close range after the ball had rebounded to him off the post.
B&B pulled themselves back level in slightly fortunate circumstances when Harry Sellers broke into the right hand side of the circle and his pass across circle was turned into the goal but an unfortunately Havant defender, the B&B boy credited with the goal.
Midway through the half the team in white were ahead after an excellent piece of play. A pinpoint through ball from Bromley & Beckenham captain Rob Farrington was met by Harry Sainsbury inside the circle. Sainsbury added the faintest of touches to guide the ball beyond Levy and inside the far post.
By now B&B were enjoying the better of the half and Sellers bagged his second from a low penalty corner effort into the bottom corner. Shortly after, his intercept on the halfway line allowed him the space to drive into the circle and his effort brought out the best in Levy who saved well with his stick.
Just before the break Farrington got his reward for an excellent first period with a tidy finish into the bottom corner for 5-2.
The Havant team talk had obviously fired up the Hampshire boys and three minutes into the second half Tom Martin in the B&B goal had to be sharp to snuff out a one-on-one at the top of the circle. At the other end Sellers so nearly added to his tally but for the width of the post as he watched his shot across goal come back off the upright and away to safety.
On 19 minutes Havant looked certain to score after a good cross towards the far post but Ollie Preston’s intervention prevented a goal. Martin then blocked well at the top of his circle from a Havant penalty corner but could do nothing to stop Sam Hatherley’s shot in the 21st minute. From the left top of the circle Hatherley shaped his shot across the goalkeeper and into the back of the net, hitting the top of the backboard.
Bromley & Beckenham seemed content to soak up Havant pressure, hitting back on the counter attack. Goal number six came four minutes from time as Sellers finished from close range with the simplest of tap ins after rounding the goalkeeper.
The goal sparked Havant into change as they replaced the goalkeeper with a kicking back but it proved to be too little too late. By the time Sellers rounded off a fine display with his fifth in the 28th minute he had already seen Levy return to the pitch to save his penalty stroke effort but it was not to matter as Bromley & Beckenham finished the match 7-3 winners and national indoor champions for the first time.
| Trojans | 7 | (6) |
| Jenny Peebles 1,9 (F,F) | ||
| Alice Pyrgos 5, 8 (PC,F) | ||
| Becky van Berkel 6,10 (F,F) | ||
| Lizzie Gittens 20 (F) | ||
| Beeston | 3 | (1) |
| Katie Hopkisson 15,18,28 (PC,F,F) |
The girls’ U16 club final was dominated by the Trojan girls today at the National Indoor Hockey Championships in Nottingham with the team from the south proving the more clinical with a 7-3 victory.
Trojans started the match the better of the two sides and opened the scoring through captain Lizzie Gittens, who picked up the ball outside the circle before playing it across to her teammate Jenny Peebles who put it past the keeper for the Trojans first.
More Trojans pressure brought a penalty corner and another goal, this time scored by Alice Pyrgos. Trojans were relentless in the first period, scoring again from open play through Becky Van Berkel in the sixth minute. There was no let up for Beeston as Trojan turned on the pace scoring another two goals giving Peebles and Van Berkel their second goals of the match.
Beeston did hit back right at the end of the half through a penalty corner, Lowri McIntosh pushing the ball out to Katie Hopkinson who made no mistake of finding the net with a clinical shot buried deep into the net. Half time and Trojans went into the break 6-1.
The second half commenced and Beeston showed grit and determination against a brilliant Trojan side; Hopkinson was the brightest of the bunch for Beeston and she brought the score to 6-2 soon after the restart.
Trojans made it 7-2 in 20th minute, captain Gittens leading her side by example and scoring a great individual effort to leave Martha Baker in goal stranded.
Beeston enjoyed one final push and with probably the best goal of the game Hopkinson from the smallest of angles managed to lift the ball over Baker into the top right hand of the goal from the opposite side of the circle, a truly magnificent goal to get her hat-trick.
A convincing performance by Trojans secured the national title, winning 7-3. Despite their defeat Beeston can take heart from their performance and in the excellent individual effort by Hopkinson who looks to be a star for the future.
| Beeston | 1 | (0) |
| Tom Vickerstaff 28 (F) | ||
| Old Loughtonians | 6 | (4) |
| Harry Kempe 10,11,26 (F,F,F) | ||
| Liam Peoples 12 (F) | ||
| Harry Martin 15 (F) | ||
| Matt Lewis 25 (PC) |
Old Loughtonians U18 boys won the final of the U18 Boys Clubs National Indoor Hockey Championships at the Trent FM Arena on Sunday morning after beating Beeston in the home city by six goals to one.
In spite of the seemingly one sided nature of the match this was a highly entertaining affair which saw end to end free flowing attacks for the first ten minutes of the match with both goalkeepers called into action on several occasions.
First blood went to Old Loughts through a fantastic piece of individual skill from Harry Kempe in the tenth minute. Picking up the ball on the left hand side of the Beeston circle he flicked it high into the net for the opening goal and a minute later he doubled his tally, squeezing the ball home after a melee in the middle of the circle.
In the space of two minutes the Essex side had raced into a three goal lead as Liam Peoples got in on the act with a well placed deflection from Adam Miller’s straight through ball.
Beeston responded with an attack of their own but Liam Adams could not find the net from a narrow angle.
On the stroke of half time Harry Martin scored Old Loughtonians fourth from close ranged as the game slipped away from the ‘home’ team.
The second half did not quite have the same level of pacey entertainment as the first and was punctuated by a number of penalty corners. Two early Old Loughts corners came to nothing as David Overton stood firm in the Beeston goal. Beeston too earned a corner which ultimately came to nothing.
Old Loughts had the chance to bury the game midway through the half as they powered forward but a quick pass across the circle found only the back line.
On 25 minutes Matt Lewis netted Old Loughts’ fifth with a powerful flick into the far side of the net and Kempe completed his hat-trick a minute later after showing good composure to round Overton and fire home after the goalkeeper had made two good blocks at the top of the circle.
Perry Foster in the Old Loughts goal was certainly not a spectator and pulled off a good save just prior to Tom Vickerstaff’s goal for Beeston two minutes from time, following up from close range after a Foster save.
With just seconds left on the clock, Old Loughtonians were awarded a penalty corner which Overton raced out to block and the match finished 6-1 sparking scenes of mass celebration from the team in purple and white and their vocal supporters high in the stand.
| Beeston | 0 | (0) |
| - | ||
| Belper | 5 | (2) |
| Joanna Leigh 5,11 (F,F) | ||
| Sophie Hawkins 20 (F) | ||
| Anna Toman 24 (PC) | ||
| Alice Sharp 24 (F) |
Today at the National Indoor Hockey Championships in Nottingham, Belper were the victors in a one sided match against their local rivals Beeston in the Girl’s U18 Clubs Final.
The match began at a fairly leisurely pace with neither side significantly troubling the other. Belper had more of the opening pressure with a couple of penalty corners but were unable to make them count.
The Derbyshire side opened the scoring through Joanna Leigh after Anna Toman had carried the ball down the line before pulling it back to her teammate Leigh who slipped the ball into the net past the Beeston goalkeeper Yasmin Haywood. Leigh, who also played in the U18 schools competition on Saturday and who has been in fine form over the two days, put her club 2-0 up by picking up a rebound from the goalkeeper. After picking up the ball she buried it into the top right hand corner of the net.
The first half finished with a Beeston half chance that could have put them back in the game but instead was shot wide of the goal by Madi smith. At the break Belper led 2-0.
The second half saw Beeston fade away quickly as Belper mounted their attack once more, this time through Sophie Hawkins. Belper went on to hit the post as Beeston looked evermore unlikely to come back into the game. Six minutes from the end Belper sealed their victory with a penalty corner scored by Toman. And less than a minute later, another rebounded shot from the Beeston goalkeeper fell back to Alice Sharp who beat Haywood at the second time of asking.
Belper the deserving winners of the Championship match, convincingly saw off Beeston with a 5-0 victory. Ultimately, Beeston played well but could not match their stronger opponents.
| Loughborough Students | 5 | (0) |
| John Jackson 24,40 (F,F) | ||
| Richard Smith 31,37 (PC,PS) | ||
| David Beckett 38 (F) | ||
| Surbiton | 7 | (4) |
| Dan Fox 2 (F) | ||
| James Tindall 5,13 (F,F) | ||
| Tim Pinnock 13,23 (PS,F) | ||
| Matt Daly 27 (F) | ||
| Alberto Esteban Velazquez 38 (F) |
Surbiton progressed in style to the final of the National Indoor Hockey Championships at the expense of Loughborough Students on Sunday afternoon. A 7-5 victory over the 2008 winners saw Surbiton into the live televised final in this, their first outing at the National Indoor Hockey Championships.
There was a great pace to the opening minutes of the tie with both teams vying for the upper hand and it was Surbiton who grabbed the initiative through Dan Fox with a move down the right which he flicked across goal and inside the far post.
And it was 2-0 soon after when James Tindall, the England and Great Britain forward, converted after a good passing move down the left flank.
The goals gave Surbiton that upper hand that they craved and after Loughborough Students’ England defender Richard Smith conceded possession inside his own half it looked as though things might get worse for the Students as Surbiton were awarded a penalty corner. The corner forced Giles Cadman in the Loughborough goal into a good save from which the Students broke and won a corner of their own.
From the set piece Smith’s powerful flick rebounded hard back off the left post and away from goal. Surbiton were then grateful to their own England and Great Britain defender Ben Hawes who cleared a second Loughborough corner at the top of the circle as the Students looked for a way back into the match.
Nick Catlin, called into the England World Cup squad after impressing at the ABN AMRO Champions Trophy in Melbourne in December, was next to threaten the Surbiton goal as he punched through the white defence. Unfortunately for Catlin it was another of his Melbourne teammates, Dan Fox, that recovered to clear his shot as it made its way to goal.
That interception was to prove crucial as Surbiton responded and scored two goals in the space of 60 seconds just before the quarter hour mark. First, a rash challenge by Cadman on Richard Alexander was punished with a penalty stroke and a green card for the goalkeeper – Tim Pinnock netting the penalty high into the top corner – before an excellent passing move opened up the Loughborough defence, Tindall the ultimate beneficiary for 4-0.
Good defensive work from Richard Alexander kept the Students at bay as they pressed Surbiton . John Jackson looked like he might pull one back for Loughborough at the end of the first period but after beating goalkeeper Duncan Holmes to the baseline his crossed flew harmlessly across the face of the goal.
Loughborough Students faced an uphill battle as they returned for the second half and it got steeper when Pinnock bagged his second and Surbiton’s fifth, knocking home for a straight forward finish on the back post after Dan Fox’s pass.
Jackson did get his goal a minute later as he opened the Students’ account, spinning in the circle and flicking home beyond Holmes.
Loughborough’s substitute goalkeeper Michael Scott made a number of excellent saves throughout the second half and he was called upon to make a double save at the top of his circle from a Surbiton penalty corner on 25 minutes.
England and Great Britain forward Matt Daly scored a sixth for Surbiton when he flicked home in the 27th minute and it could have been seven had Tim Benford not cleared what looked likely to be Pinnock’s hat-trick after Tindall had eliminated Scott with a clever cut back.
With ten minutes remaining Loughborough embarked upon a mini revival, which began with Richard Smith firing home a penalty corner at the second attempt. It was still 2-6 with three minutes to go when Loughborough were awarded the second penalty stroke in the match after the ball struck the foot of Surbiton captain Andrew Sheridan on the goal line. Smith stepped up and with the noisy Students fans in the crowd cheering him on, fired low into the bottom left hand corner sending Holmes the wrong way.
It looked as if the fight back might have been on when Students’ captain David Beckett netted a fourth to take his side to within two goals with two minutes still to play but Spaniard Alberto Esteban Velazquez (pictured above) had other ideas. With a superb flick into the goal from the edge of the circle he took the game out of Loughborough’s reach although there was still time for Jackson to score his second and Students’ fifth to produce a scoreline that slightly flattered Loughborough, 7-5 to Surbiton.
| East Grinstead | 7 | (2) |
| Mark Pearn 16,24,34 (PC,F,F) | ||
| Ashley Jackson 20,22 (F,PS) | ||
| Scott Ashdown 23 (F) | ||
| David de Prez 25 (F) | ||
| Reading | 5 | (3) |
| Simon Mantell 11,12,24 (F,F,F) | ||
| Iain Mackay 17 (F) | ||
| Harry Jawanda 40 (F) |
East Grinstead and Reading went head to head in a fast and furious a 12 goal thriller in the second men’s semi final at the National Indoor Hockey Championships.
Both teams were firing on all cylinders and Reading proved that they were up for the game early on as they enjoyed the best of the pressure, Simon Mantell and Jonty Clarke coming close but unable to score. Mantell did make his mark on the game with the first of his goals on 11 minutes, a great individual effort ending with a lofted shot over Richard Potton in the East Grinstead goal.
A minute later, Reading were on target again to take the score to 2-0, Mantell junior firing his second home after being picked out by Richard Springham. East Grinstead fought back to make it 2-1 with a well rehearsed penalty corner move that led to a clinical finish by former international Mark Pearn.
Reading went into the break with a 3-2 lead as both teams traded goals late in the half. Reading’s third was the result of good build up play from Harry Jawanda, who played it down the right, dribbling through a crowd of players, pulling it back across the edge of the circle to the waiting Iain Mackay, who put the ball high into the net. East Grinstead came back with an instant reply as the FIH World Young Player of the Year Ashley Jackson scored to keep EG within one goal of Reading at the break.
The second half began at a frenetic pace leading to East Grinstead winning a penalty stroke for a trip in the circle. The stroke, taken by Jackson, brought the score level and set up a thrilling climax with both teams battling hard to win.
The momentum was with East Grinstead who went on to take the match by the scruff of the neck, scoring four goals in as many minutes. Captain Scott Ashdown scored their fourth on 23 minutes and a minute later Pearn scored the second goal of what was to be semi final hat-trick, putting his team into 5-3 lead.
David De Prez, the top goal scorer in this year’s Indoor England Hockey League Premier Division with 26 goals, was on target to give East Grinstead a 6-3 lead in the 25th minute and together with Pearn’s hat-trick goal East Grinstead raced into a 7-3 lead.
A valiant effort by the Reading men and in particular Simon Mantell saw them attempt to stage a comeback with Mantell netting his own hat-trick to give their supporters some hope but it was not to be and although Jawanda managed to nick a goal in the dying seconds of the game East Grinstead marched on to the live Sky final.
| Leicester* | 2 | (1) |
| Rebecca Herbert 17,32 (F,F) | ||
| Slough | 2 | (1) |
| Jane Smith 4 (F) | ||
| Alex Scott 37 (PC) |
*Leicester win 2-1 on penalty strokes
A thrilling and dramatic women’s National Indoor Hockey Championships final came down to a nail biting penalty stroke shoot out after Alex Scott cancelled out the 2-1 lead that Rebecca Herbert had given Leicester with fewer than ten minutes remaining. With the crowd on the edge of their seats and the Sky Sports cameras in attendance both goalkeepers pulled off saves before Scott missed her second penalty of the match to hand victory to the women in orange.
Leicester and Slough lined up having seen off Canterbury and the 2009 Champions Bowdon Hightown in Saturday’s semi finals with Leicester looking to secure a first national indoor title since 1978 and Slough aiming to make it 14 National Indoor Hockey Championships, avenging the painful memory of their 2009 defeat in Birmingham.
There were early chances in the opening minute for both sides as first Beckie Herbert lobbed an effort wide of the post before Ashleigh Ball threaded a pass across the face of the Leicester goal mouth.
Chloe Rogers calmly cleared the danger from Slough’s first penalty corner of the match in the second minute after Jane Smith had squeezed the ball through the feet of Maddie Hinch but Slough did not have to wait long to take the lead and were ahead in the fourth minute. Alex Scott drew Hinch and her defenders to the edge of the circle before squaring to the unmarked Smith who carefully slotted home under the diving body of the recovering Hinch.
Leicester’s first corner moments later came to a disappointing end with the ball trickling off a Leicester stick and off the back line.
Midway through the half Slough’s Nat Bell did well, playing a one-two with herself off the right hand boards to evade Gemma Darrington’s challenge but Hinch proved up to the task, producing a stick save to prevent Bell from crossing the ball.
Leicester called the first time out of the match with nine minutes of the half remaining as coach Andy Fairbrother looked for his side to improve their circle penetration.
Chloe Rogers responded with a break into the circle two minutes later but she was thwarted by Slough’s England goalkeeper Duggan at close range.
The EuroHockey Nations Trophy Goalkeeper of the Tournament then produced an outstanding save with her stick low to her right after Leicester captain Vanessa Hawkins deflected a quick pass on target.
With five minutes of the half remaining Slough thought they had doubled their lead but the umpire’s whistle had already gone for a foul in the build up and from the resulting counter attack Leicester equalised, Rebecca Herbert forcing the ball home from the centre of the circle.
The time out chat had clearly worked for Leicester who came close to taking the lead from a penalty corner a minute later.
Slough won a corner of their own with 19 minutes on the clock, Alex Scott finding the defender’s foot but Hinch was out quickly to smother Jane Smith’s shot from the top.
Half chances for both sides came and went in the opening minutes of the second half. Jane Smith cleared a switched Leicester penalty corner before, at the other end, Smith failed to properly connect on her reverse from the top of the circle.
Hinch was again at the heart of the Leicester defence in the 29th minute making two saves in quick succession, the first from a penalty corner and the second a diving save at the feet of the Slough forward.
With both teams intent of dribbling it was touch of class from Beckie Herbert which broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute as she powerfully flicked a shot from the left hand edge of the circle which Duggan could only help on its way into the top corner of the net.
Ashleigh Ball responded for Slough but her flick across goal went wide and seconds later Herbert passed up the chance for a hat-trick as she fired wide of the far post with just the goalkeeper to beat.
With seven minutes remaining Leicester captain Hawkins saw yellow, reducing her team to five. And with Slough mounting a sustained attack Hannah Smith prevented a certain goal with her body, diving full length and leaving the umpire with no choice but to award a penalty stroke.
Up stepped Alex Scott to take the penalty but Hinch guessed right and saved at a comfortable height with her right hand to keep the score at 2-1.
Scott was not to be stopped though and she restored parity from a controversial penalty corner with three minutes remaining. Hinch was adjudged to have committed an offence, resulting in the corner, and Scott roofed her effort from the top of the circle to make it 2-2.
With 39 minutes on the clock Herbert pushed another effort beyond the far post after driving through the Slough defence.
With the hooter gone, the Sky Sports cameras trained and the crowd on the edge of their seats Leicester won a penalty corner in the dying seconds of the match. Hawkins, back on the pitch from her suspension, pulled the ball out to Rogers at the top of the circle but Becky Duggan’s sliding block cleared the ball to safety and set up a penalty stroke competition to determine the 2010 Women’s National Indoor Hockey Champions.
Leicester’s Kerry Williams and Slough’s Jane Smith both scored their first penalties and when Chloe Rogers’ effort squeezed in off the inside of the right hand post the crowd shrieked in unison. Chloe Strong, who had scored the winning penalty in the Slough’s semi final shoot out with Bowdon Hightown, then saw her flick saved by the left glove of Hinch but Becky Duggan gave Slough hope with a save from Beckie Herbert. Up stepped Alex Scott for Slough’s third flick. Having seen her penalty in normal saved by Hinch to her right, Scott went the other way but missed the goal entirely sparking scenes of celebration amongst the Leicester team who had secured their first national indoor title since 1978.
Despite her penalty miss, Herbert was named Player of the Tournament after scoring two goals in the final and one in the semi final.
Mike Williamson the Slough coach said afterwards, “We had our chances tonight, enough to win, but we didn’t take them. It was very disappointing because when we played them in the league we took them and won.”
Player of the Tournament Herbert said it was a “brilliant” game. “In the past we’ve had a history of being relegated so we really didn’t expect to win. It feels great.”
Maddie Hinch, whose saves helped Leicester secure the title said, “It’s unbelievable. We came in as an underdog. We played a defensive style yesterday against Canterbury but today we played with much more attacking emphasis. Throughout the game you got the feeling we could actually do it, and we did.”
Leicester coach Andy Fairbrother was incredibly happy. “The team felt under a bit of pressure with Leicester not having won since 1978 but they worked incredibly hard today. I can’t say much more because I’m so happy.”
| East Grinstead | 9 | (4) |
| Ashley Jackson 7,2,36,37 (PC,F,F,PC) | ||
| Mark Pearn 8 (F) | ||
| David de Prez 12 (F) | ||
| Scott Ashdown 34,35 (PC,F) | ||
| Mike Holland 37 (F) | ||
| Surbiton | 5 | (1) |
| Tim Pinnock 14,34,39 (PC,F,PC) | ||
| James Tindall 26 (F) | ||
| Michael Hoolihan 40 (F) |
East Grinstead secured back to back National Indoor titles thanks to a thrilling 9-5 victory over Surbiton at the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham on Sunday evening. England and Great Britain star Ashley Jackson was once again the hero with four goals in the final against Indoor England Hockey League Premier Division newcomers Surbiton.
The victory means East Grinstead will be England’s representatives in the 2011 European indoor competition.
Despite their underdog status Surbiton were first to threaten, firing a dangerous ball across the East Grinstead circle inside three minutes.
It did not take long though for East Grinstead to assert their authority on the match with a brace of penalty corners, the second of which FIH World Young Player of the Year Ashley Jackson rifled into the right side of the net at blistering pace. 1-0 East Grinstead after seven minutes.
James Tindall, returning to fitness from the broken foot he sustained while on England duty at the ABN AMRO Champions Trophy in December, nearly equalised a minute later but a combination of a deflection from East Grinstead goalkeeper Richard Potton and the crossbar kept East Grinstead ahead.
Mark Pearn doubled EG’s lead in the eighth minute and shortly after, Surbiton’s England and Great Britain defender Richard Alexander had to be at his best to bring his international teammate Jackson to a halt at the top of the circle.
East Grinstead by now were looking good for their lead and when German Mats Grambusch broke down the left hand side there was a chance for captain Scott Ashdown to make it three. Although he was crowded out he managed to win a penalty corner, which ultimately came to nothing.
David de Prez put East Grinstead 3-0 up after displaying excellent individual skill at the top of the circle before flicking the ball into the goal.
Surbiton hit back in the 14th minute through Tim Pinnock whose powerful penalty corner flick flew inside the left post and so began a spell of Surbiton pressure with Richard Potton in the East Grinstead goal saving from close range as Surbiton pressed.
With a minute of the half remaining Ben Hawes missed a prime opportunity to make it 3-2 when he fired wide from inside the left of the circle and Surbiton were made to pay less than 60 seconds later. Ashley Jackson displayed his trademark close control to outfox the Surbiton defence at the top of the circle before knocking the ball home to make it 4-1 at the break.
The game seemed to slow slightly at the beginning of the second period but East Grinstead began the stronger as they looked to build their advantage. Some last ditch defending led to an East Grinstead penalty corner but the set piece was deflected high over the bar.
Surbiton rallied and pulled a goal back in the 26th minute through James Tindall, although Potton will have been disappointed that ball appeared to squirm through him and over the line to make the score 4-2.
With the match still delicately poised a time out was called following the goal and Hawes soon had another opportunity to score. A mazy dribble through the East Grinstead defence exposed Richard Potton but the goalkeeper did well to block Hawes shot.
Surbiton were really giving their all as the second half passed the midway point and when the ball fell to Richard Alexander a yard from goal and with Potton prone on the floor it looked as if Surbiton would reduce the deficit. But it was not to be. A combination of defender and goalkeeper conspired to pressure Alexander and his shot trickled agonisingly wide of the far post.
As they looked to relieve the pressure on their defence East Grinstead broke upfield and won a penalty corner. With lightening quick passes Glenn Kirkham pulled out the top of the circle where Ashley Jackson jumped the left slip and Scott Ashdown fired a rocket beyond Duncan Holmes in the Surbiton goal to make it 5-2.
There then followed an incredible period of two minutes in which the score went from 5-2 to 9-3. Surbiton pulled one back through Tim Pinnock’s flick into the far corner before East Grinstead went on the rampage. Ashley Jackson and Scott Ashdown combined to waltz through the Surbiton defence with Ashdown netting for 6-3; Jackson completed his hat-trick shortly after with a goal from the right hand side and scored again to make it 8-3. With two minutes remaining Mike Holland got in on the act with a goal for 9-3. Determined to give a good account of themselves there was still time for two more Surbiton goals from Pinnock, from a penalty corner, and Michael Hoolihan sweeping home from the left side of the circle.
With the match broadcast live on Sky Sports, the game was an incredible advert for indoor hockey. With four goals in the final, Ashley Jackson proved once again that he is worth his weight in goals to club and country.
Afterwards, East Grinstead Richard Organ said, “We started well and were in control but allowed Surbiton back into the game. We reacted well and sealed it after attacking more. Next year we want to make it three in a row.”
Mark Pearn, East Grinstead’s number three said, “It was a pretty good game, although I felt as if we struggled a bit in the second half. Surbiton defended deep and we had to change our tactics to break them down.”
Man of the hour Ashley Jackson added, “It was good fun. We were confident before the game but always knew anything could happen.”
Finishing, Matt Jones, East Grinstead manager, said “The National Indoor Hockey Championships have been a great advertisement for indoor hockey. The new arena has been fantastic and the electricity of the indoor game should really help with getting people interested in the sport.
“The semi final was tough test because we all know of Reading’s quality and Surbiton’s depth and talent was clear for everyone to see here. It certainly wasn’t a one sided goal. We’re delighted to have won tonight.”
