Reading and Bowdon Hightown Win Dramatic Cup Finals
Reading men won their seventh Cup title in dramatic style today in front of a large and partisan crowd at Beeston’s Highfields Hockey Centre ground as they made the defending champions pay for a hatful of spurned second half chances.
| Reading | 3 | (1) | - | 1 | (0) | Beeston |
| Richard Mantell 15 (PC) | Chris Seddon 57 (PS) | |||||
| Warren D'Souza 67 (F) | ||||||
| Jon Codling 68 (F) |
An even first five minutes saw Reading narrowly miss the game’s first opportunity; Richard Mantell flicking a low penalty corner effort wide of the left post. At the other end, Beeston soon found themselves with an even better chance as Chris Seddon latched onto a mistake inside the Reading circle but his flick was well saved by Nick Brothers with his left glove.
On seven minutes Reading’s Andy Watts almost broke the deadlock with a strong deflection but his effort only found the side netting.
With the match flowing from end to end it was Reading that did score first. Some indisciplined defending saw Beeston first concede a free hit at the top of the circle before losing a penalty corner as England and Great Britain international Ali Wilson cleared the ball past Richard Mantell at head height. And it was Mantell who stepped up to punish the mistake, flicking high beyond George Pinner in the Beeston goal.
As they looked for a way back into the match Beeston pressed Reading hard, forcing their own penalty corner, which was deflected over the crossbar. Moments later Stephen Wood did well to reach a well hit pass from England international Martin Jones inside the circle but Brothers was again equal to the shot on the turn. Brothers was again called into action in the 20th minute, saving Dixon’s high flick.
A torrential rainstorm halfway through the period did little to dampen the competitive spirit being shown by both sides and as the crowds dived for shelter the game continued apace. Brothers was again called into action with little over five minutes of the half remaining, clearing Chris Seddon’s deflection with relative ease.
With just a minute of the first half remaining Brothers was again called up, this time getting down low to save from Ali Wilson’s low penalty corner effort as the half came to its conclusion.
Reading began the second period eager to extend their advantage and after weathering another Beeston penalty corner they raced to the other end only to see Pinner advancing quickly off his line to snub out the danger. End-to-end action saw chances for Reading’s Jonty Clarke and Chris Seddon but the scoreline remaining 1-0.
Knowing they required two to reclaim their title Beeston pressed hard and were rewarded with a penalty corner after the ball hit Warren D’Souza’s foot inside the circle. From the corner Adam Dixon’s disguised pass found pusher Richard Stamp and just as it looked as if Beeston would draw level Stamp pulled his sweep into the side netting.
As they continued to push and with 20 minutes remaining on the clock, a series of good Beeston chances came and went. First, England U21 international Ben Arnold found himself alone inside the circle as he received the ball but his effort failed to trouble Nick Brothers, who was rapidly moving back across his goal. A minute later, Stephen Wood’s flick from inside the circle fell to Arnold on the rebound but he missed the chance when it looked easier to score.
At the other end, Iain Mackay latched onto a mistake in the Beeston midfield to break through on goal but his shot from the right hand side of the circle passed harmlessly beyond the far post.
With just under an hour gone Beeston were given a lifeline as umpire Andrew Kennedy awarded a penalty stroke with the ball appearing to come off Brothers and onto his defender’s foot after Adam Dixon’s powerful drag flick. Despite the vociferous appeals from Brothers and Richard Mantell the decision stood and Chris Seddon stepped up to confidently send Brothers the wrong way; slotting the ball low to the goalkeeper’s right.
The goal invigorated the home support, whose vocal encouragement for the team was clearly having its desired effect on the pitch. With ten minutes remaining, Arnold was again involved in Beeston’s next effort as he found Dixon in space but the England indoor international miss-timed his shot with just Brothers to beat and the England goalkeeper again blocked well from Martin Jones two minutes later as Beeston looked for a winning goal.
Then came the sting in the tail for the Bees. With three minutes remaining, Reading’s Warren D’Souza found the space inside a crowded circle to unleash a reverse stick effort beyond the excellent Pinner and as Beeston threw caution to the wind Reading netted a third; Jon Codling receiving an early ball inside the circle which he confidently dispatched to ensure the Men’s Cup will travel back to Berkshire.
For Beeston’s players it was a disappointing end to a spirited and determined second half performance while for Reading the goals secured their seventh Cup Final victory and their first knock-out title since 2006.
Afterwards, Reading Captain Rhys Joyce praised the role played by his goalkeeper: “We had our chances and I think they did too. I thought our keeper Nick Brothers played brilliantly. We had some things that we wanted to do, when we did them we played well and controlled the game; when we didn’t they had the possession and territory so you just have to see out the bad patches and come back stronger for it.
“We are just really, really pleased to come away with the win after coming second in the league this year and second in the indoors. We’re just so pleased to win.”
Warren D’Souza, whose goal three minutes from time set Reading on their way to lifting the cup said, “How does this moment rank in the season? It’s up there. We have had not a great season and we missed out on a few things having been knocked out in the quarter finals [of the Euro Hockey League] and missed out in the league. It was a squad effort; we used all our players with constant rotation, that’s why we won it.”
Also lavishing praise on Brothers, D’Souza said: “He was brilliant today. In the big games this season he has always played really well.”
In the women's final, England and Great Britain international Jo Ellis was the Bowdon Hightown heroine as her second half goal secured them an impressive domestic treble at Highfields Hockey Centre in Nottingham. On the same afternoon as their North West colleagues Manchester United secured football’s Premier League, Bowdon Hightown survived a late Reading onslaught to add a third piece of silverware to the cabinet at South Downs Road.
| Bowdon Hightown | 2 | (1) | - | 1 | (0) | Reading |
| Fay Nash 19 (F) | Becky Odlin 38 (PC) | |||||
| Jo Ellis 42 (F) |
In a first half of few clear cut chances the Premier Division champions were content to hold possession, inviting Reading forward, and it was the Cup Final debutants from Berkshire that threatened first through a seventh minute penalty corner, which ultimately came to nothing.
The Cheshire favourites broke the deadlock with a deflected goal in the 19th minute after Sally Walton’s free hit found Fay Nash’s stick and her touch took the ball beyond Reading goalkeeper Lucy Stevenson.
With much of the play contained in the midfield the best chance in what remained of the first half fell to Nash again, but with her back to goal she fired wide.
Just three minutes into the second half Reading temporarily silenced the vocal Bowdon Hightown supporters with a deflected equaliser; Becky Odlin adding the final touch to the drilled penalty corner. It did not take long though for those Bowdon Hightown fans to find their voices again as a diving Jo Ellis met a perfect cross to deflect high into the net from close range to make it 2-1.
Bowdon Hightown goalkeeper Kirsty Mackay was called into action soon after, reacting well to clear Liana Smith’s through ball with Emily Malden bearing down on goal.
The double champions failed to convert a series of penalty corners midway through the second half with Sally Walton’s second low flicked effort deflected wide by a defender’s stick.
By now, Reading were defending well, keeping the pressing Bowdon Hightown at bay although goalkeeper Lucy Stevenson was called into action on one occasion, reacting acrobatically to tip the ball over the bar after mesmeric skill from Ellis.
With five minutes remaining and sensing a shock equaliser Reading pushed up the pitch, much to the delight of their fans at the Bowdon Hightown end. Their creativity was beginning to threaten Bowdon Hightown, who resorted to defending in numbers against the onrushing Berkshire ladies.
In the final minute of the game Reading’s hard work looked like it might have paid off as a cross found its way to an unmarked Claire Kerr on the back post. Unfortunately for Kerr, she came face to face with goalkeeper Kirsty Mackay who dropped down quickly to smother the ball at Kerr’s feet.
Seconds later the full time hooter went, signalling ecstatic Bowdon Hightown celebrations – the domestic treble secure. For their part, Reading will return to Sonning Lane with their heads held high, safe in the knowledge they have what it takes to compete against the best in the premier division next season.
Speaking after the game, match winner Jo Ellis said, “We go down in history really. To win three trophies...I don’t think any team has done that before. We had our hearts set on winning something in the Europeans but unfortunately we just fell short there. It’s been a great season for us, all the girls have worked really hard and we deserve it!
“To be honest there wasn’t alot in it. They have had a fantastic season and will be coming up to the premier division next year and I think they will do well. They work well as a unit; there are no key individuals, it’s a nice team that they have got there and they will be a struggle to beat next season.”
Despite the narrow scoreline, Bowdon Hightown goalkeeper Kirsty Mackay, who was recently called up to the England senior squad to play Scotland next weekend, felt the ultimate result was never in doubt: "Absolutely brilliant! We have just had such a great year. It was a tough game; Reading played well and you have to give them credit. We haven’t had the strongest game today but we can always come out with a victory."
