BackSun 13 Apr 2025
U18 BoysPalmerston North Boys High School (NZ)
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FEHC U18s v Palmerston North Boys High School
Robert Scott14 Apr - 17:55
A great day for hockey
Fleet and Ewshot hosted Palmerston North Boys High School from New Zealand who have just arrived in the UK for a hockey tour. One of their team grew up in South Africa with Calum R and a serendipitous gap in their tour programme promoted a message to us to see if we could pull together a boys team for a game this weekend.
The FEHC community pulled together to sort out pitch, pizzas and umpires and the scene was set for a wonderful afternoon of hockey. Before pushback the boys walked out to the centre of the pitch and lined up for a salute to the healthy crowd then they joined arms to watch the PNBHS perform the Haka. Then it was on to the game.
The PNBHS had arrived at The Garrison early to get the jet lag and journey from London out of their legs and they made no mistake with their start. A strong run down their left wing resulted in a short corner after just 2 minutes and a perfectly executed drag flick put them a goal up before the FEHC boys knew what had hit them. PNBHS continued strongly, making several circle penetrations and testing our defence and despite sterling efforts by Riley at sweeper and George in goal, the touring side managed to finish off a run in open play to put their side two nil up after the first quarter. In the second quarter the FEHC boys managed to get into more of a rhythm and started to make some attacking plays of their own and kept the PNBHS boys from scoring which took us into half time with the same two goal deficit. Some motivational words from Riley and Hayden put belief into the boys and just 3 minutes into the second half FEHC converted a penalty corner after Hayden dragged the ball to the near post and Lewis pounced to slip the ball into the goal. The game continued with opportunities at both ends but the PNBHS boys were well drilled and had more of the chances to score. Goal line clearances and saves from George kept the game on a knife edge, before the extra legs and persistence of PNBHS started to take its toll and they managed to convert two short corners either side of a wonder strike from open play to finish the game as a 1-5 win to the tourists. The game was a wonderful battle to watch, played in good spirit and with lovely skills and team work making a spectacle for the supporters who had come from near and far. It was a brilliant end to the season for this group of players who were a mix of this years U16s, last year’s U16s and one U18 from the M1s making up the hastily assembled squad. I am super proud at the performance the boys put in and in awe of the NZ boys who were well drilled, skilful and very respectful of their opposition and the umpires – a credit to their families, some of whom have made the trip across with them.
Thanks to Calum and his mum for putting PNBHS in touch with us. Thanks to Gillian Bond for being official photographer (pictures to follow). Thanks to Graham Jackson for organising the pitch and pizzas and running the bar for us so that we could host the boys properly. Also, thanks to Rob Scott and Chris Butler for umpiring and to all the parents who helped shuttle the PNBHS boys back to the train station.
The FEHC community pulled together to sort out pitch, pizzas and umpires and the scene was set for a wonderful afternoon of hockey. Before pushback the boys walked out to the centre of the pitch and lined up for a salute to the healthy crowd then they joined arms to watch the PNBHS perform the Haka. Then it was on to the game.
The PNBHS had arrived at The Garrison early to get the jet lag and journey from London out of their legs and they made no mistake with their start. A strong run down their left wing resulted in a short corner after just 2 minutes and a perfectly executed drag flick put them a goal up before the FEHC boys knew what had hit them. PNBHS continued strongly, making several circle penetrations and testing our defence and despite sterling efforts by Riley at sweeper and George in goal, the touring side managed to finish off a run in open play to put their side two nil up after the first quarter. In the second quarter the FEHC boys managed to get into more of a rhythm and started to make some attacking plays of their own and kept the PNBHS boys from scoring which took us into half time with the same two goal deficit. Some motivational words from Riley and Hayden put belief into the boys and just 3 minutes into the second half FEHC converted a penalty corner after Hayden dragged the ball to the near post and Lewis pounced to slip the ball into the goal. The game continued with opportunities at both ends but the PNBHS boys were well drilled and had more of the chances to score. Goal line clearances and saves from George kept the game on a knife edge, before the extra legs and persistence of PNBHS started to take its toll and they managed to convert two short corners either side of a wonder strike from open play to finish the game as a 1-5 win to the tourists. The game was a wonderful battle to watch, played in good spirit and with lovely skills and team work making a spectacle for the supporters who had come from near and far. It was a brilliant end to the season for this group of players who were a mix of this years U16s, last year’s U16s and one U18 from the M1s making up the hastily assembled squad. I am super proud at the performance the boys put in and in awe of the NZ boys who were well drilled, skilful and very respectful of their opposition and the umpires – a credit to their families, some of whom have made the trip across with them.
Thanks to Calum and his mum for putting PNBHS in touch with us. Thanks to Gillian Bond for being official photographer (pictures to follow). Thanks to Graham Jackson for organising the pitch and pizzas and running the bar for us so that we could host the boys properly. Also, thanks to Rob Scott and Chris Butler for umpiring and to all the parents who helped shuttle the PNBHS boys back to the train station.
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