After topping their respective leagues, the Performance and Development teams both got the chance to battle it out to be crowned Tier 2 and Tier 3 London League champions. Lee Valley’s Olympic legacy stadium, home of GB hockey, was the venue and by the end of the day both sides had had the chance play on the main stadium astro.

The day started slowly after the transport gods failed to smile favourably on events and gifted us a Blackwall Tunnel closure. Getting 2 teams out with 2 weeks’ notice in the Easter holidays was always like to be a headache, but we managed it, and helped by the schedule starting late, fortunately the Dev team were able to start with 11 for the first of their 2, 20min each way matches. Not being overawed by the occasion and the main stadium, we absorbed several waves of Surbiton pressure before grabbing the lead after a sweeping move along the right, driven by Laila and after an initial shot was well blocked, Beth provided a composed finish to flick the ball into the corner. 1-0 at half time was a richly deserved return for our efforts. And so it remained for most of the half, with Jorja nimble in goal, Evelyn getting very low and strong in the tackles and Georgie putting in the game of her life, both defending and attacking out of left back, we resolutely held the line. I’m not a believer in karma or the ‘jinxing’ of things so with 7 mins to go I was unconcerned about the implications of going to ask what happened if the game was a draw, as it happened it wasn’t to be a concern, as Surbiton weight of pressure and quality eventually told and handed them an eventual, slightly flattering, 4-1 scoreline. Opposition player of the match votes can be a curious thing, so it was lovely to see that Georgie’s heroics were rightly recognised by Surbiton.

We then had an hour break in which Emma tried in vain to promote the virtues of slow-release carbs…

The 3rd / 4th placed match was against a strong Sunbury and Walton A team, Tier 3 London Cup winners, and they came out hard still smarting from their shoot out defeat to Hampstead and Westminster. Driven on by a loud and ‘assertive’ coaching team they quickly 2-0 up. However, Helen and Emma’s half time pep talk did wonders for our focus, the girls channelled their inner aggression and determination and matched Sunbury in the 2nd half, with Thea pouncing on a loose ball in the box for her first goal of the season becoming our 19th different scorer across the age group. The match ended 3-1 to Sunbury. Two very credible performances for the 12 girls who were available to represent the squad and leaving us 4th out of about 36 Tier 3 teams. Such a massive step up from last years’ experience of losing every match and only scoring once. The girls should feel incredibly proud of what they have achieved together this year.

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With the schedule inevitably slipping, the Performance team started their semi-final 50 mins late. The waiting around didn’t do us any harm though with the girls securing a spirited 2-0 victory against Surbiton Swans. Flo K's early hard running posed problems for the opposition, leading to crucial penalty corners. A well-executed strike from the top by Flo H and a deft back post touch from Tessa secured the win. Despite Surbiton's fierce comeback attempts, our defence stood firm, denying them any breakthroughs. Our late-game composure nearly resulted in another goal, demonstrating our continued threat until the final whistle. Showcasing the team's cohesive attacking play (a feature of their season), only a cruel bobble on a drying water-based surface denied Heidi a tap in after unselfish set up play from Flo H.

On to the final we went, switching to the main astro, we faced a Richmond side who were both physically and technically strong. Heidi's goal from the top of the D took everyone by surprise including Richmond’s goalie, while Poppy could count herself unfortunate not to earn a stroke after her drive into D was stopped with a subtle back stick tackle. A piece of individual brilliance from Richmond's #40 was significant as they completed a 3-1 victory.

Thank you to all the players and parents for your unwavering dedication and support throughout the day and a massive thank you to our coaches Emma and Helen.

Together, we've shown what our teams is capable of, and I look forward to seeing continued success in the future.

by Ian Dinwiddy