Lindum Hockey Club’s Mixed Team are through to the finals Weekend of the Mixed Cup

Lindum Hockey Club’s Mixed Team were victorious in the quarter-final of the England Hockey Mixed Plate with a tense 2-1 victory over Sunderland Broom at Lincoln University Sports Centre, and will be travelling to Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre for the FINAL4 weekend on the 3rd and 4th of June. They will be eagerly anticipating the draw for the semi-final with Repton, St Albans, or the victor of Sevenoaks versus Wapping as potential opponents.

Lindum began the game at high tempo and created numerous chances. Rob Johnstone was often involved, but could not find a way past Wilkinson. There were also chances for James Dewhurst and Breesha Foxton as Sunderland struggled to find their way out of their half. However, it was the visitors who took the lead, as the ball broke to Dench who drove past the Lindum defence to slot the ball underneath Tom Rounsley just inside the first ten minutes. Lindum continued to apply the pressure, with Johnstone finding Wilkinson’s pads from a couple of penalty corners. Lindum eventually found the breakthrough they so thoroughly deserved, as Dewhurst slid in at the back post to convert a Louie Sadler drag flick from a penalty corner shortly before the thirty-minute mark. Although Lindum pushed forward with vigour, the scores remained tied at half-time: 1-1.

The second half was much like the first, with Lindum firing at goal and Wilkinson keeping the Lindum attackers at bay. As the half wore on, the game became stretched as Lindum exerted copious amounts of pressure on the Sunderland defence. This allowed Sunderland a few chances to break at pace. Fortunately, they were kept at bay by Rounsley, stopping several attempts when 1 on 1. In the final minutes of the game, Lindum spurned opportunities from a succession of penalty corners with chances for the Johnstone brothers, Dewhurst, Jo Siddans and Sam Temple-Baxter. However, following a rather unorthodox penalty corner routine, Lindum recycled the ball around the D and Dewhurst found himself in enough space to fire towards the far post for Siddans to tip in with just one minute remaining. Lindum remained calm and managed to see out the final few seconds to secure a place in the final 4 of the competition, much to the delight of the crowd and captain Ben Lowe.

We would like to thank all the supporters who came to watch the mixed team become the first side from Lindum Hockey Club to reach a finals weekend at the national stadium. We would also like to extend our thanks to the visitors, Sunderland Broom, for a well contested match played in the true spirit of mixed hockey. And thank you to umpires Sophie Parker and Lou Robinson for their efforts.

Lindum: T Rounsley (GK), N Brush, B Steel, B Lowe (Capt.), B Leeming, G Deacon, B Treadgold, G Johnstone, V Fiddies, R Johnstone, B Foxton, H Sinclair, L Sadler, S Temple-Baxter, J Siddans, J Dewhurst

Sunderland Broom: A Wilkinson (GK), M Sparrowhawk, C Brown, A Brown, N Campbell, M Dench, N Holmes, R Snaith, H Bowerman (Capt.), B Webster, K Tate, S Laidler, L Thompson

Goals: Dench 9-F (0-1), Dewhurst 28-PC (1-1), Siddans 70-F (2-1)

Lindum PotM: Dewhurst

Sunderland PotM: Wilkinson

Umpires: S Parker, L Robinson