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Haileybury retain U18 hockey trophy

The 1st XI hockey team successfully defended their county U18 title last Thursday by beating Queenswood in the final.

In the semi-final, Haileybury took an early lead over Parmiters through a well-taken Molly Pallett goal. We dominated the possession and territory for the rest of the game, forcing a number of short corners which were either saved or flashed just wide of the uprights. Ashley Coe, Sophie Munn and Fran Burn dominated midfield and ran the game but Parmiters had the occasional break through their pacy forwards and Vicky Hewett had to make a vital save coming off her line to tackle the Parmiters centre forward at the top of the circle. With six minutes to go, Amber Banbury made the game safe with a neat deflection.

Queenswood struggled to overcome St Clement Dane in the second semi-final. After extra time the score was still 0-0 and Queenswood scraped through on penalty strokes.

The final between Haileybury and Queenswood was a hard-fought encounter and Sophie Munn had to come off in the first half due to a hand injury. Most of the game was played in a congested midfield where Haileybury held the edge with captain Fran Burn dominant. The game went to extra time and Haileybury had a couple of short corners which went agonisingly close but the final score was 0-0.

For the second time on the evening, a match was to be decided by penalty strokes. In a best of five competition, Haileybury went first. Ashley Coe and Roz Brennan coolly put away the first two while Queenswood went wide and then scored. Haileybury held a 2-1 advantage. Katie Stacey then put one straight down the middle of the goal between the bemused keeper’s legs. Who knows if she was really aiming for the corner?! Vicky Hewett made a fabulous save, taking the score to 3-1. Molly Pallett then stepped up to the spot and scored Haileybury’s fourth for an unassailable lead and to retain the trophy.

Haileybury go forward to the East Under 18 Competition on 24 November.

Meanwhile, the team had more success on Saturday with a 5-3 win over Dame Alice Harpur from Bedford. In-form strikers, Amber Banbury and Molly Pallett, gave the opposition keeper a torrid time, with Molly scoring in the first five minutes and right at the end of the game either side of a hat trick from leading scorer, Amber.

The under 16s lost a close game 1-2 but dominated the second half with a well-taken short corner goal from Charley Sotiriou.