Oxford Hawks U14 Girls – EH Championship Midlands Regional Finals

17^th April 2016 at Bishop’s Stortford

W1 D1 L1

For the second year in a row, our successful U14 Girls progressed to the England Hockey Championship Tier 2 Regional Finals.  Last year, Norwich, this year Bishop’s Stortford!  Fresh from the Hawks end of season dinner the night before, the girls arrived in sunny Hertfordshire to face Stourport, Marlow and Bishop’s Stortford.

The first match against Stourport was a dour, physical battle.  The score ended 0-0 and Cora was awesome in goal, keeping the team in the game.  With only a few minutes break, Hawks then faced a skilful Marlow side.  Despite some great attacking play from Hawks early in the game, particularly from Row, Marlow took the lead just before half-time.  A stirring half-time talk from Dizzy and Scraggy, and the game resumed, Emma levelling the score with an impressive diving shot.  Sadly, fatigue took its toll on the girls as the second half progressed, Marlow scoring again to win 3-1.  So, on to the final match against hosts, Bishop’s Stortford; the Hawks girls were back on song, winning comfortably 2-0, goals coming from Dila and Imogen.

Despite drawing with Stourport, it was the Gloucestershire team that won through to the National Finals.  So near, but yet so far once again for the Hawks girls – but much to be proud of, with promising signs of a strengthened performance over the season.  Thanks to Bishop’s Stortford for their excellent hospitality and great hockey spirit.

Team: Cora, Isabel, Jessica, Annabelle, Madeleine, Amelia, Tanya, Row, Georgia, Holly, Emma, Dila, Alexia, Izzy and Imogen