national finals. The team made excellent progress through the season, however, and were well supported, with a number of new joiners raising the level. The U15A team had some tough fixtures in our Saturday blocks but pulled together to finish second at the London County tournament group stage, with impressive wins against Fortismere, Bancroft’s and Aldenham. A highly competitive game against Haberdashers’ Elstree ended with a 2–0 loss, ending any chance of qualifying for the London finals. The U16A team breezed through the early stages of the London County tournament and qualified for the national finals. This was a great experience for all pupils involved and it provided an opportunity to test ourselves against teams the College had never played before. A number of pupils in Year 11 had already represented the 1st XI so were unable to compete at the national finals, and with a slightly depleted squad, results did not go our way, but the pupils involved should be very proud of their efforts. After a slow start, the 1st XI showed excellent progress throughout the term, and with only two Year 13 pupils in the squad, the team should continue to get better and produce many positive results next year. The high- light of the season undoubtedly came at the prestigious St George’s Sixes tournament, in which 28 of the best schools in the country compete in a fast-paced format. The level of hockey on display throughout the day was incredibly high. The team had a slow start, with a 1–0 loss to New Hall, but this was followed by a fantastic perfor- mance against Cranleigh, who had finished third in the country in the National League. The match ended 1–0 to Cranleigh, but gave the team confidence going into the remaining matches, knowing that they could compete with the best. A run of three wins followed, against Watford Grammar, Wells Cathedral and King Edward’s, with scores of 4–0, 3–2 and 2–1 respectively. The final match of the group was against local rivals Alleyn’s, and we needed a draw to send us through to the next stage. After conceding an early goal, the team dominated and created several scoring opportunities. It was not to be, however, and the match ended 1–0. With Dulwich and New Hall School finishing level on points and goal difference, our place in the next round was to be decided on shuttles. The shuttle shoot out was watched by all the schools, which created an incredible atmosphere. The New Hall
huge thanks must go to Mrs Austin and Miss Osborne for their effort, energy and enthusiasm, which is reflected in the pupils’ experience of the club. Year 5 and Year 6 attend a weekly after-school session during the Michaelmas and Lent terms and play a small number of fixtures, with an A and B team in both year groups. The U10A team performed excellently at the London County tournament finishing second, a highlight of the day being an emphatic 7–0 win against Thomas’s Battersea. The U11A team also played multiple fixtures throughout the year and produced many strong perfor- mances during the season. The most exciting game was a 5–5 draw with Trinity, which showcased the team’s ability to compete with some of the best hockey schools in the region. The irreplaceable Richard Oubridge deserves a large amount of credit for his work with the Junior School hockey programme; he will leave a giant hole next year, but we hope to have him back coaching in some capacity. During the Lent term, 38 Year 7 boys chose to play hockey, which allowed for A–D team fixtures regularly. It is hugely positive to have pupils training and playing regularly in Year 7 and I have no doubt that numbers will continue to rise with more exposure to hockey in the Junior School, and with the inclusion of hockey as a games option for Year 7. The U12A team are a very talented group who managed 14 wins from 21 matches. They scored 71 goals – the greatest number of goals throughout the school – and only conceded 35, resulting in a goal difference of 36; they were the only team in the Senior School to finish with a positive goal difference. Having swept through the early stages of the London County tournament, the team unfortunately came un- stuck in the semi-final against KCS Wimbledon, losing 2–1 and ending up with third place overall. They avenged this loss three days later in the block fixture against KCS, with a thrilling 5–4 win to end the season. This is an exciting group of players with a lot of potential and I look forward to watching their progress through the school. Across the rest of the Senior School there were multiple successes throughout the season with many teams per- forming beyond expectations. The U14A team won every game in the first stage of the London County tournament and won their group at the next stage to qualify for the London semi-finals. Unfortunately, a narrow 1–0 loss to Royal Russell meant just missing out on a place in the
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THE ALLEYNIAN 712
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