News
U18s win Indoor Hockey title
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1 February 2010
Congratulations to our U18 team on retaining the National Indoor Hockey Championship title!
U18 Boys Schools Final
Ipswich School 2 (1)
Charlie Hardman 11 (F)
Josh Godfrey 27 (F)
The Perse School 3 (2)
Michael Franklin 3 (PS)
Ben Creese 20 (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 Creese scored the team's second. A minute later, after yet another penalty corner, Hugo Christie made it 3-1 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!
Squad:
Andrew Meredith, Ismail Baksh, Adam Miller, Pete Richer, Rajen Mahendra, Michael Franklin, Hugo Christie, George Hall, Henry Campbell, Oli Wheatley, Ben Creese, Duncan Graves (Capt).
Photos are courtesy of the England Hockey website - http://www.englandhockey.co.uk/