1st XI reach Kent Cup semi-finals
Monday 30th January
Kent Cup Quarter-Final
Eltham College beat Skinners 7-1 (Tate 2, Lawrence 2, Hamilton, Robertson, Britt)
The 1st XI secured their place at the county finals day with a comprehensive victory over Skinners school. On a very cold evening the team started at a frantic pace and with some clinical and expansive hockey found themselves 3-0 up within the first 6 minutes. The height and width created by the team ensured that Skinners were left chasing shadows and the ball pace ensured that the team consistently got in behind the Skinners defence and caused them problems. Before the game had even got going Alex Tate, Jack Robertson and Hamish Hamilton had all appeared on the score sheet and the tie was as good as won.
However, to their credit Skinners never stopped working and had a number of talented individuals and the odd Eltham defensive lapse meant Ben Sales (picture right) was called upon twice during the first half; making a good one-on-one save and then an excellent stop from a vicious reverse strike from the top of the D.
The second half began with more of the same, Jack Britt scoring from the top of the D with a deflection off a Skinners defender. The game wore on and got a little heated when some decisions went against the team and Skinners got on the score sheet with a short corner flicked into the bottom right of the goal. In more critical games the 1st XI need to ensure that they can remain calm and collected and not react to negative decisions in a way that harms their chances. Luckily they reacted in the right way and scored the fifth with David Lawrence hammering the ball past the Skinners keeper when it deflected into his path in the D. Alex Tate bagged his second of the night with a drag flick of his own and David Lawrence wrapped up the result late on with his second and the team's seventh.
This result ensures that the U18s now join the U16s at Kent Finals Day and have a semi-final against Tonbridge School on 22nd February. Before that they face Bancroft's at home on Wednesday and have the Frank Mason Tournament on Thursday to look forward to.
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