The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
The brilliant youngsters from St Norbert’s Catholic Primary School demonstrated their hockey talent once again by winning the South Lincolnshire quicksticks finals without conceding a goal.
After winning the Spalding tournament, St Norbert’s went into the next round as heavy favourites – and with a 14-game win streak under their belt dating back to the October 9.
They made the perfect start, beating Bourne Westfield, the winners of the Bourne version of the tournament, 6-0.
Jude Thompson (2) and Charlie Roberts (2) gave them a 4-0 lead after two periods, aided by some some excellent defending from Ella Stanberry allowed the team to go into the break 4-0 to the good.
The third period started with a quick goal from Roberts, allowing Aidan McMurray the freedom to push up towards goal to complete the scoring.
The next game matched Tydd St Mary Primary School, winners of the Long Sutton/Holbeach leg of the competition, against a wounded Bourne Westfield.
In what was a top tussle, Tydd St Mary finally triumphed 6-2 to set up a straight final with St Norbert’s.
The final was between two eager sides vying the glory and it looked likely to be a tight affair. However, St Norbert’s emerged victorious with a fine 3-0 scoreline.
They survived an early scare when Stanberry produced an excellent block, before some neat inter-passing between Thompson and Amy Wilson and allowed Thompson to open the scoring with a well-taken reverse shot.
Not content with that, Thompson added another to make it 2-0 before the end of the opening period.
The second period – although goalless – was full of drama and end-to-end play. St Norbert’s sealed their win in the third, with Weronika Ragan shrugging off her early nerves with a solid tackle in midfield to release McMurray, who held his nerve to bury the clincher.
St Norbert’s now go on to represent South Lincolnshire in the next round of the quicksticks tournament.
