The U 14 Hockey team can be very proud of their excellent performance at the Kent Schools hockey tournament in Canterbury on Monday.

In their three section games, this relatively inexperienced team managed to notch up ten goals with Ciara Desmond and Emma Gull each getting a hat-trick in their game against Weald of Kent School After another resounding win against Duke of York's they were pleased to qualify for a quarter-final match against TWGGS. Here they played their most exciting and at times inspirational team hockey to achieve a creditable 4-0 win and earn a semi-final show-down against Kent College, Canterbury.

Sevenoaks knew they would have to play their best team hockey if they were to stand a chance against this talented young side, bristling with Kent county players. Ably led by their skilful and tireless captain, Georgina Barker, they clearly outplayed the opposition during the first ten minutes, and forced a number of scoring chances from open play. Despite some great attacks down the right with rookie winger Frankie Anderson, the luck just wouldn’t run for them and it was the Kent College GK, a County player, who kept her side in the game on a couple of occasions.

Chloe Broom continued to play an outstanding role as sweeper in this game and distributed the ball beautifully from the back throughout the day – but in the end, the individual strengths and experience of Kent College paid off and they finally found a foot to earn the corner from which they scored. Despite continued pressure from Sevenoaks, KC held onto their narrow lead for three minutes until the final whistle went.

When they get over their disappointment of being so close to a Regional Final, these girls will continue to work hard, gain in skills and experience and hope to turn the tables next time. We can be proud that they came within a whisker of providing us with two teams at the East Finals.

Squad: Kate Stephens (GK); Chloe Broom; Chloe Rouse; Izzie Urquhart; Flora Cournane; Maria Bassi; Georgina Barker (Capt); Sarah Dodds; Alice Kidd; Frankie Anderson; Olivia Anderson; Verity Thomson; Emma Gull (VC); Ciara Desmond.