Hockey players prepare to make history

Saturday 08 October 2016

Jersey’s young hockey players are preparing to make history this weekend having qualified to play in the Men's Upton Trophy for the first time.

The Victoria College 1st XI are off to Guernsey on Saturday to take on the winners of the Sarnian League - Indies.

Manager Joe Crill said: "As we qualified last academic year for this trophy, we have lost several of our most experienced boys to University. 

“However, although we may have lost some of the speed and strength of last year, I believe we have a more balanced team this year with great technical ability across the pitch.  The team is captained this year by Ben Tait and he has already led the team to a strong start in the league, winning our first two matches. 

"The team has looked sound in defence, ably marshalled by the increasingly vocal Oscar Barette; our midfield is full of running and possesses an excellent range of passing capable of finding our fast and fluid forward line consisting of Pierre Sangan and Mark Boarer.  Adam Gower joins the squad for this match, fresh from selection into the England U16 High Performance Assessment Camp.

"As for our chances, we go to Guernsey with no pressure and no expectations.  This is the first time in the College’s history that we have qualified for this competition and so just being in this position is an achievement in itself. 

"The boys can go into this game looking forward to testing themselves against a new opposition in new surroundings, with nothing to lose.  Having said that, the boys have shown already this season that they can compete against, and beat, the best they have come up against."

Jersey Hockey's women's team are preparing for their big fixture at Les Quennevais on Sunday when they take on Salisbury HC in Round One of the England Hockey Trophy.

Manager Alan Morris said: "It's always good to get a home draw and play on a pitch that you know with the support of a home crowd. Salisbury did well in the trophy last year getting a few wins, but it is difficult to know how well the teams match up.

"Having lost out on strokes two years in a row we know that goals are going to be important. With nine of our players having played last year, experience should serve us well. With a good 1st round performance and the confidence that comes from that, I believe we could do well in the competition this season."

Squad: Aleisha Duffy, Chrissie Helmholt-Kneisel, Ciara McQuaid, Fi Anderson, Gemma Sutton, Jess Watling*, Joni Gorman, Julie Harding (VC), Kerry Rogers, Laura Besnard(GK), Lilly Wysmuller*, Steph Edge, Trudy Dillon-Nugent (C), Hannah Scriven*. Manager: Alan Morris.  (*Competitive debuts)