HC Knole Park were in celebration mode again this weekend as the U18A Girls won the South-East Indoor Championships and have qualified for the National Finals in January. The U14A Girls were also celebrating as their draw means they have qualified for the England Hockey Supra League. All three adult’s teams picked up three points and every member of the club was offered matches as the U8s, U10s and U12s all played in their festivals. Finally, the Women’s 1st team played and won an exhibition match against the English Universities XI too!
The U18A Girls beat both East Grinstead and Woking on Sunday as they won the South-East Indoor Championships in convincing style! The girls beat Sussex Champions East Grinstead 11-4 with goals from Amelie Allen (5), Annabel Cheveley (2), Lottie Bingham (2), Jessica Lewis, and Camille Poracchia. Then they beat Surrey Champions Woking 11-3 to seal the title. Goals from Cheveley (4), Bingham (3), Allen, Lewis, Poracchia, and Polly Brownlow. The team progress to the National Finals in Nottingham in the new year for a chance to win the title they won last season!
The U14A Girls drew 2-2 with top of the league Guildford in a fantastic end to end match. A goal in each half from Georgie Owen and then Emily Bingham. Chances for both sides came and went for a winner but it wasn’t to be! The draw secures Knole Park’s place in the post-Christmas England Hockey Supra League for all the top teams in England.
The U16A Boys were in action in their Supra League playoff against Epsom. Once again, the boys played very well, but came up short losing 8-3. Goals from Mack Copp, Isaac Dale, and Louis van den Rijse. The U16B Girls were also facing Epsom and lost 5-1 in a tough match. Celia Foster with the only Knole Park goal.
The U12A Girls travelled to Canterbury and won all their matches. Erin Tuffield top scored with seven goals, and Liv Macaskill scored four goals. The U10 Girls were also in Canterbury and won all but one match. Caroline Jobke scored six times, Imogen Kalaher four times. The U12 Boys played very well in their tournament with Jude Ellis and Lucas Dale top scoring. The U8s loved playing in their first tournament of the season too!
In the adults section it was three wins from three in the league. In the Men’s 1st team match it took a last-minute winner from Isaac Dale as part of an excellent hat-trick to ensure the team got across the line and picked up the points that keeps them second in the league. Louis van den Rijse and Moritz Hippe with the other two in an epic 5-4 win. The Women’s 1st team won 10-0 at Blackheath and Elthamians with goals from Lottie Bingham (5), Biba Mills, Amelie Allen, Alessia Turner, Jessica Lewis, and Katie Eedes, and the Women’s 2s won 7-0 against Dartford. Goals from Aurelia Nadal (2), Lucie Jones (2), Ella Walker, Amie Gould, and Farrah Hilden. Both Women’s teams continue to set the pace in their respective leagues.
In the final match of the weekend the Women’s 1st team played the English Universities XI. The English Universities team is a selected squad from higher education institutes around England and features some of the best U21 players in England. In a superb match, Lottie Bingham scored a wonderful opening goal as she danced past the visitor’s defence before slotting the ball home. Bingham doubled the Knole Park advantage from a penalty corner to make it 2-0. The visitors then scored on the break for a 2-1 score at half-time. Bingham completed her hat-trick early in the second half. After an excellent steal in midfield, she linked up with Phoebe Gough-Cooper, before rounding the goalkeeper to push the ball into the open goal. A last minute second for the English Universities team made it a 3-2 win for Knole Park!
This weekend HC Knole Park’s Men’s 1st team travel to Gillingham Anchorians 1s, the Women’s 1s host Cliftonville 1s, and the Women’s 2s travel to Tunbridge Wells 5s. The U16A Girls and U16A Boys are both competing in the South-East Indoor Finals for a chance to try and join the U18 Girls at the National Finals. Whilst closer to home the U14B Girls, U14A Boys and U16B Girls are all playing Tunbridge Wells.
