Hunt goal clinches Surrey championship for Reigate Priory Girls U12
After a day of high drama Reigate Priory U12 Girls won the Surrey club championship for the first time ever. A very talented side arrived at Woking to play against many bigger and more 'prestigious' clubs such as Surbiton, Guildford and Richmond.
Priory took a bit of time to get going in the first game and depite being dominant were unable to breakdown a resolute Spencer defence and could only manage a 0-0 draw. Priory improved in the second game and were rewarded for their efforts with a fine goal from Captain Laura Zander following a great long pass from the excellent Sasha Munn. The third game saw Priory continue to build momentum. Laura Zander scored another gaol and Augusta King was rewarded for some outstanding work with a second. The team was playing some great hockey. Sophie Eliis was marshalling the defence brilliantly with Munn, the midfield were tackling hard led by Olivia Chesher, with Josephine Hunt, Augusta King and Jenny Hunt all working tirelessly and Laura Zander looking increasingly menacing upfront.
Having won the group stages Priory went into the second round of Pool matches. They played the previously unbeaten Surbiton B side and literally smashed them 4-0. Zander scored the first followed soon after by a great shot into the roof of the net by King. Zander scored a good third before Munn finished the rout smashing a short corner into the goal - her first goal ever for Priory.The second pool game saw Priory play a strong Woking B side. King scored a great early goal and Priory looked as is they were cruising. Woking worked hard to get back into the game and had several shots at the Priory goal. Coralie Johnson made a great save from a one on one with the Woking centerforward and was unlucky to see the rebound fall to a free striker who slotted it in - the only goal Priory conceded in the tournament. Priory won the pool and went into the semi-final against Woking A. It proved to be a very tough match - Again the defence was superb with Ellis and Munn outstanding. Priory midfield quickly gained control and Zander was creating all sorts of problems. But Priory tired and Woking came back into the game winning 3 corners in the last few minutes. Great defence from King, Chesser and Johnson in goal kept them out. With 5 seconds to go Priory won a corner and Chesser showed a clear head under pressure to smash the ball into the goal for a brilliant winner.
So Priory were in the final against the favourites Surbiton. Again Priory got off to a flier. A great ball from Ellis was picked up by Zander who easily beat her marker with a great turn and slipped it to Jenny Hunt to slam into the goal . The team then defended brilliantly from the front stopping all Surbiton efforts and creating several chances of their own. In the end it was a very deserved win for Priory who will now represent Surrey in the South of England U12 championship in April …a fantastic achievement.
Team: Coralie Johnson, Augusta King, Olivia Chesser, Sophie Ellis, Laura Zander ( captain), Jenny Hunt, Sasha Munn, Josephine Hunt
Polecats U12 Girls v Purley - Sunday January 18th, 2009
7-2 (2-0, 4-2, 1-0)
Reigate Polecats U12 Girls started the year with a fine performance against Purley, winning all three periods and scoring some well-worked goals. With the freezing temperatures having limited them to only one training session since before Christmas, they nevertheless showed that the lessons they learnt last year have stuck, and the signs of progress were very encouraging.
Holly Prince had another very good day in goal, letting in only two goals in total and keeping a clean sheet in two of the periods. In front of her, Maddie Barratt had her best game yet in defence, ably supported by Ella and Sasha Munn, Tess Glynne-Jones and Sophie Ellis, who all took turns at the back. The game provided all these girls with the opportunity to work on their positioning, and there was a palpable improvement in this aspect during the game. Purley had elected to play without a goalkeeper, which meant they outnumbered Polecats in the outfield, but good discipline and some determined tackling meant that Purley were unable to make that advantage tell.
With only two previous outings for most of the team, the lessons are coming thick and fast, but they are quick learners and their passing and movement going forward has come on in leaps and bounds. Issie Grant found plenty of space on the wings and used the ball well, Abi Dahl, who showed a lovely weight of pass, and Tess Glynne-Jones controlled the centre, while Sophie Ellis and Laura Zander took it in turns to carve out chances in front of the Purley goal (until Laura was poached early on by the U12 boys, who were in need of her cutting edge).
Having failed to score in their last outing despite playing well, this result shows that Polecats have learnt how to turn posession into goals, while still keeping a tight defence: a very encouraging performance all round.
Polecats: Holly Prince, Maddie Barratt, Abi Dahl, Sophie Ellis, Tess Glynne-Jones, Issie Grant, Ella Munn, Sasha Munn, Laura Zander
Polecats U12 Girls v Old Midwhitgiftians - Sunday December 14th, 2008
0-2, 0-4, 0-5
Following their first run out at Horsham last month, Reigate Polecats U12 Girls were presented with an altogether different challenge against Old Midwhitgiftians at Hartswood. The format of three 20 minute games, rather than the short 10 minute bursts of the Horsham tournament, gave them a greater opportunity to settle into their positions and develop their understanding of the game, while their skills and aggression were tested to the full by the fact that the opposition were, well, boys.
But had it not been for one particular boy, a dazzling, stick-twiddling genius, who, to the dismay of the Old Mids coach has been 'poached' by Whitgift School on the basis of his hockey prowess, Polecats would have more than matched their testosterone-fuelled opponents and might well have won. As it was, they were undone on more than one occasion by the brilliant No9.
Yet the feeling amongst the players and coaches at the end of the game was one of triumph; for a performance that showed real progress in terms of control, power and positional play, not to mention a fantastic spirit. Polecats never looked anything but keen and determined, despite conceding a total of 11 goals over the three sessions.
That score would have been higher had it not been for Holly Prince, who made countless saves. Abi Dahl, who started in defence before moving into midfield, was tenacious throughout, and her powerful hitting gave Polecats a new dimension from the 16-yard hits. As has become tradition, one of the girls had to suffer a painful blow on the leg, this time Abi being the one to cop for it and take home a nice bruise on her thigh.
But everyone was prepared to get stuck in, and Maddie Barratt and Ella Munn, playing in defence, put up a solid resistance in the third period, as the girls worked out how to deal with the tricky No9 and stop his runs into the D.
In possession, Polecats showed the confidence to pass to each other rather than just hacking the ball away from danger. Lucy Donovan, Tess Glynne-Jones and Laura Zander put together some nice moves down the flanks, and Olivia Trevor held the ball up well up front. But with so much defending to do, Polecats struggled to get enough players forward in support to mount a serious assault on the Old Mids goal - something for the coaches to work on.
So it was a tough encounter, but one that brought immediate signs of progress and, rather than dampening the girls' love for the game, actually seemed to strengthen it. The only look of dismay came when they had to shake hands at the end. "I don't mind playing boys," one Polecat was heard to say, "I don't even mind losing to them. But do we have to touch them!"
Polecats: Holly Prince, Maddie Barratt, Abby Dahl, Lucy Donovan, Tess Glynne-Jones, Ella Munn, Olivia Trevor, Laura Zander