Tournament glory for Westbury youngsters
IN glorious spring sunshine, the Westbury Girls Under-10 hockey team had a spring in their step and smiles on their faces after they were crowned champions of the EH West Regional U10 Girls Championship.
The team started the day well, confidently beating each of their first three opponents 2-0, playing wonderfully flowing, attacking hockey. The close connections between the girls, both as friends and as players, were reflected on the pitch in their ability to work hard for each other and pass selflessly to a better-placed teammate.
Tournament hockey is tough and tiring, with little rest between games, and the team had to work hard for their 1-0 win over Swindon and for a 1-1 draw with Taunton in games four and five. A superb 3-0 win in their final group game meant Westbury topped their group to earn their place in the semi-final.
The semi-final versus Lydney was a tense, close match with both teams having opportunities to score. In the end, it was a fine,
flowing passing move all the way from defence to the attacking circle that resulted in Westbury scoring the winner, with just 20 seconds left in the game, to seal their place in the final.
Though clearly tired after seven matches, the girls dug deep for the final against Lansdown. Both goalkeepers made important saves early on to keep the match in the balance but, after another flowing
move down the right-hand side, Westbury’s captain Emma scored the winning goal.
Congratulations to this brilliant group of girls on their wonderful achievement.