The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding Hockey Club once again hosted the latest primary schools tournament at Glen Park on Friday.
Some 18 teams from 13 local primary schools participated in the tournament across four leagues at advanced, intermediate and beginner levels.
Three were also 12 of the club’s juniors who had volunteered to officiate, all of whom had previously participated in the tournament and several who are now umpiring in the adult leagues.
In the Advanced League, Ayscoughfee A built on their progress this season by winning all four of their games.
Single goal wins in their hard fought opening matches (St John’s A 1-0 and Eye Primary 2-1) set them up for an excellent 4-0 win over Gosberton Risegate A and a 6-0 win over Boston-based St Thomas’s A in their final game.
The setback against Ayscoughfee was the only blemish in an otherwise excellent day for the rapidly improving Gosberton Risegate A team, who recorded wins over St Thomas’s A (5-0), St John’s A (2-0) and Eye Primary (1-0) to finish in second place.
In the Intermediate League section, Gosberton Academy took the league by storm.
Promoted from the Beginner League after their outstanding performances in tournament one, this Gosberton side swept all before them by recording four straight wins – earning them a chance for a place in the Advanced League for tournament three.
Wins over Pinchbeck East (4-0), St Norbert’s (2-0), Tower Road A (3-0) and John Harrox A (1-0) meant that in the two tournaments so far, they have won all their matches and are yet to concede a goal.
John Harrox A finished in the runner-up spot with wins over St Norbert’s (1-0), Tower Road A (4-2) and Pinchbeck East (3-0).
In a very tightly-contested Beginner A League, goals were hard to come by with three of the games finishing goalless.
Boston-based Tower Road B managed a couple of wins, 2-0 over Surfleet Primary and 1-0 over St John’s B to head the table.
Locals Surfleet Primary drew their opening encounter against St John’s B (0-0) but finished strongly with a win (3-0) over St Thomas’s B to claim the runner up slot.
Gosberton Risegate demonstrated that they have strength in depth at their school with their B team winning all three of their games in the Beginner B League.
The young team recorded victories over Ayscoughfee B (2-0), Weston Hills (2-0) and, in their final deciding game, Spalding Parish (1-0) to claim the honours.
Spalding Parish had previously won two closely contested encounters against Weston Hills and Ayscoughfee B, both 1-0, to finish in the runner up slot.
There is room for a further two teams for tournament three, which is scheduled for Friday, February 7 at Glen Park.
Any school interested in taking part is asked to contact Fred Morris by email at fredricmorris@yahoo.co.uk for further information.
