Duo help England to a bronze

HOCKEY

Two Canterbury youngsters helped England under-16 boys to claim a dramatic bronze medal in the Four Nations Tournament in Mannheim, Germany, on Easter Monday.

Facing Belgium in the thirdplaced play-off, England battled back from 2-0 down late-on before winning on penalty shuffles.

City club youngsters James Oates and Sam Barrett were both in the squad which lost 5-2 to Germany in their opening game on Friday.

Two late goals led to a 3-0 defeat against the Netherlands the following day, while England twice battled back from behind to draw 2-2 against Belgium on Sunday in the final game of the group stage.

Canterbury Ladies youngster Lizzie Neal was in the England under-16 girls’ team which played three games against the Netherlands – all defeats – over the weekend.

Canterbury

under-10

boys finished as runners-up in the regional tournament at Surbiton.

The Kent champions won all three of their group games without conceding a goal to secure a place in the quarter-finals against Lewes.

They saw off the Sussex side with a comfortable 3-0 win and then overcame Teddington 2-0 in the semi-final to book a date with Guildford in the final.

However the Surrey side breached the city club rearguard for the first time after a goalless first-half, and a quickfire second proved crucial, with Canterbury forced to chase the game and conceding a third on the break late on.

The youngsters did rally themselves to win a tournament back at Polo Farm, beating Holcombe, Maidstone, Old Loughtonians, Ashford, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells to claim the silverware and and finish their season on a high. Canterbury: H Devereux, O Boswell, C Conlon, C Figgis, M Messenger, A Laslett, D Gent, F Upton, J Prebble, T Izzard, B Young

Canterbury under-10s – runners-up at Surbiton