Girls U14 Wrens Enjoy Hockey Mentors Contest

GU14 Wrens 4 – 1 Hockey Mentors (H)

The rich traditions of the Barbarians came to Sugden Road on Saturday as the superb invitational team, Hockey Mentors, took up the gauntlet to face the unbeaten Wrens.

There was mercifully no talk of chamois grips this week as the forecasted downpours kept away and sunshine dissected the clouds, spraying autumnal warmth across this famous London ground. It was a fitting scene as the Mentors, as is custom amongst the great invitational sports teams of the ages, fielded a side comprised of household names mixed with exciting next generation talent for the crowds to appreciate.

Determined to put on a display, both sides were in attack mode from the whistle, but neither quite hitting the fluency to seriously trouble the opposing goalkeepers. Perhaps the season’s heavy schedule to date had taken its toll – talk still persists at the Players Union of a single weekly match being incompatible with the demands of the modern game. Or perhaps the early start, once again to accommodate the television schedules, had caught these finely-tuned athletes out of sync.

The draw of this game was such that the Wrens’ management had no problem signing up rising stars Becca, Sofia, Leia and Jess on a one match contract, and indeed it was Becca and Sofia who set up the breakthrough following Will’s early substitution. Bursting onto the pitch with fresh legs, Becca’s robust tackle and fast pass set Sofia off on a mazy run down the right and into the D along the baseline. Sofia’s cross in front of the goal was timed to perfection as Lizzie, metaphorically chained to the far post, boshed the ball into the net past the desperate ‘keeper to give the Wrens the first spoils of the match.

The Mentors quickly responded, with a beautiful outlet quickly leading to an aggressive counter-attack down the middle of the pitch, challenging the Wrens with every pass. Darcey came to the rescue with a sublime tackle before Amelie moved the ball out of harm’s way, and then Emily dispatched the danger with an aerial from the 25 yard line which left both sets of fans gasping.  

The pitch resembled a pinball machine as the ball ricocheted from stick to stick as the Wrens’ midfield of Isla, Erin and Marnie sought to set up another attack. The Mentors’ keeper was exceptional but the home side’s efforts finally came to fruition as a fabulous pass to Grace on the right led to a dazzling run and Eva smacked in the final pass from close range.

By this time, the Wrens were possibly enjoying the festival of hockey a bit too much. The transfers across the back line were a joy to behold, but the Mentors sensed a chance to pounce and their marauding gangs of attackers mugged the Wrens’ defence and stole a goal that Jess was powerless to prevent. It was 2-1, with three goals in six minutes.

Brought back down to earth, the Wrens worked hard to prevent an equaliser, with defenders Izzy, Elsa and Leia earning their match fees. The Wrens consolidated, sensibly recognising that even Willball has its limits, before the home support could finally start to relax following Hattie’s absolute cracker from the top of the D in the 30th minute.  

The pace eased in the second half, both teams possibly conscious that the return of the league the following weekend could not lend itself to limitless entertainment. Elsa and Jess combined fabulously to somehow keep a certain goal out before Eva settled this most engaging of games with a goal seemingly created by sheer willpower alone.