Perse hockey team reaches national finals after winning East title

9 Mar 2020

The Perse boys’ U14 hockey team are through to the England Hockey national schools finals after being crowned regional champions.

Having come through the regional qualifying round unbeaten and without conceding a goal, they won all their matches in the East finals at Redbridge, keeping clean sheets in each one, despite high winds and torrential rain making for tough playing conditions.

They began with a 1-0 victory over Culford School with Laurie Simpson-Biles slotting home from a well-worked penalty corner routine.

Jack Moffat tucked away a penalty stroke in a 1-0 win against Kimbolton School before The Perse ensured the title was theirs by beating Ipswich School 2-0 with well-taken individual goals from Freddie Doel and Max Ramsden following excellent build-up play from their own half.

Team coach Ravi Mahendra said: “The boys should be incredibly proud of their efforts over the course of the day. The boys have had an excellent cup run. They have scored 30 goals in the county finals, East qualifiers and East finals and not conceded a single goal in 11 matches.

“It was once again a very strong squad effort and each player contributed in the adverse conditions on the day.”

It is the third year in a row that a Perse boys’ U14 hockey team has reached the national finals, with this year’s edition scheduled to take place at Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre on 28 April.