Lincolnshire Hockey cruise through to Finals Day at Nottingham on 1st June

Lincolnshire Hockey annihilated all opposition in the England Hockey County Championship Pool 2 at The Lindum, in Lincoln a couple of weekends ago, winning all four of their games decisively.

On Saturday a depleted Surrey side were no match for Lincolnshire in the opening game of the tournament, and the local county side won in a canter 15 – 0. A harder game verses Kent in the afternoon saw the visitors take an early lead when a clear kick of the ball was not spotted and Lincolnshire found themselves 0 – 1 down. Taking full control of the game after 15 minutes, Lincolnshire went on to win comfortably 4 – 1 playing by far the best hockey.

On Sunday their first game was against joint leaders Sussex who soon became no match for Lincolnshire, despite Overton in the Lincs’s goal being called upon to produce a couple of early saves, 4 – 0 being the final deserving score to Lincolnshire. In the final match of the tournament Lincolnshire faced a struggling Somerset who basically had to beat the hosts by six clear goals to gain a second place instead of Kent. Lincolnshire quickly put pay to any chances by scoring two goals in the first 19 minutes and then securing an effortless 6 – 0 win.

There were great performances from all the players, but particularly local Lindum Hockey Club player Sam Temple-Baxter, who excelled in the defence in every game. The team now goes to the Nottingham Hockey Centre (home of Beeston Hockey Club) on the 1st of June to play Yorkshire in the morning semi-final and hopefully getting through to the final in the afternoon.

Photos taken by Will Larry

Squad

Ross Booth (City of Peterborough Hockey Club) (Captain), David Overton (Lindum Hockey Club) (GK), James Wright (Doncaster Hockey Club), Sam Temple-Baxter (Lindum Hockey Club), Louie Sadler (Lindum Hockey Club), Joe Finding (City of Peterborough Hockey Club), Ben Treadgold (Lindum Hockey Club), Ben Read (City of Peterborough Hockey Club), Cam Foster (Lindum Hockey Club), David Dykes (Leeds Hockey Club), James Sutcliffe (Beeston Hockey Club), Sam Perrin (Brooklands MU Hockey Club), Stuart Cunnington (Spalding Hockey Club), Chris Porter (Oxted Hockey Club), Rob Johnstone (Lindum Hockey Club), Matt Bell (Lindum Hockey Club), Josh Pettinger (Lindum Hockey Club), Simon Miles (Bourne Deeping Hockey Club)

Match Statistics

Lincolnshire Played 4 Won 4 Drew 0 Lost 0 Goals For 29 Goals Away 1 Points 12

Scorers

Matt Bell 5, Sam Perrin 4, Stuart Cunnington 4, James Sutcliffe 4, Simon Miles 2, Josh Pettinger 2, Chris Porter 2, Rob Johnstone, Joe Finding, Louie Sadler, Ben Reed, Ross Booth & David Dykes all scored 1