Another Season Ends - Hockey 2008

Date: Tuesday 18 March 2008

The Hockey season ended this afternoon with the Junior House Match Finals, and the traditional end-of-season match between the 1st XI and the invitation AWJM's XI.

The House matches were well contested affairs, with Wagner winning the battle for third place with a 1 - 0 win over Watson. Watson, allegedly, had more of the play, but a single and decisive goal from Under 14 skipper Oli Kirkness, proved the difference between the sides.

The final gave Baker another chance to add to their trophy tally for the year, which they duly took. A goal from Dom Barrett gave them a half-time lead, but Declan Connor equalised early into the second period. Baker then took control, and Rafi Stone sealed the title with a penalty stroke after Stephan Disneur's goalbound shot had been kept out 'illegally'. 3 - 1 was the final score.

The AWJM XI v 1st XI is usually a goalfest, with exhibition hockey being the order of the day.....And goalfest it was with the final score being 7 - 4 to the guest XI. Mr Middleton himself and Mr Buckingham were on the scoresheet for the guests, who were largely made up of Gore Court players, and, to quote Harry Callaway, a random assortment of Middle Fifths, like Stone, George Smith and Jon Clarke, not to mention Matt Dixon, gracing the Astro for the last time as a 'schoolboy'. Oli Perry notched a hat-trick for the School; no-one seems to know the scorer of the fourth goal! Charles Allen eventually owned up!

The season's final event was the end of term Hockey Club Dinner, this year at the Old Brewery Tavern - part of the former County Hotel, where members of the 1st and Pilgrims' XIs could celebrate a happy and largely successful three month campaign. Several awards were presented: Player of the Season - Jack Barwick; Most Improved Player of the Year - Freddy Pack; leading goalscorer - Oli Perry.