Sevenoaks Hockey Club’s (SHC) U16 boys team produced another superb all-round team performance on Saturday 19th June to progress to the Semi-Finals of the England Hockey Championships, the first Sevenoaks boys team to go this far in the competition.
A tough quarter-final match away at Old Loughtonians in Chigwell, Essex saw them trailing 2-1 at half time but fought back hard to win 5-2.
After a closely matched first 20 minutes the Purple Army opened the scoring with S Ryder turning the ball in following a short corner. The lead only lasted a few seconds, however, with Old Loughtonians awarded a short corner of their own from which they equalised. Four minutes later they took the lead with a great drag flick from another short corner. SHC soaked up some early second half pressure before turning the game round with two goals in three minutes. The first a beautifully worked short corner from which C Brooks scored, followed by a brilliant solo effort from the half way line by B Selby, running through the whole of the opposition’s defence before sliding the ball under the keeper.
Old Loughts quickly forced two short corners in quick succession but both were well saved by SHC keeper, R Mylroi. At 57 minutes, the best move of the match saw SHC play it out from the back, move the ball from the left wing to the right and cross it in for S Ryder to score his second of the match with a fierce backhand finish. SHC defence remained solid under renewed pressure and the result was finally put beyond doubt in the last five minutes when J Sears turned in the fifth and winning goal.
Sevenoaks will now face Winchester in the semi-final on Sunday 27th June.
