What A Game!

One of the best games of hockey was witnessed on the St Bede's Astro on January 19th, in perfect conditions.

St Bede's 1st Team Boys Hockey played Seaford College in the Sussex County Cup and with Seaford having German Internationals on their side they must have been favourites going into the game. After eight minutes Seaford scored through a short corner and were looking very good. Coach Steve Paxton changed the structure of the St Bede’s team with 15 minutes played and immediately the St Bede's took control and scored via their prolific goal scorer Pat Skinner making it 1-1. With the game going backwards and forwards , St Bede's scored a second just before half time through Michael Cosma and went into the half break very confident, indeed they should have been 3-1 up as Henry Adelston (one of the Man of the Match players) missed a golden opportunity by firing his shot wide. (2-1 HT)

Again, the second half was frenetic with the ball travelling to both ends continually. Fitness and five pre-season games under their belt was to be the difference in the end as St Bede's took control of the match and scored again through Pat Skinner ( 3-1). After a great short corner routine St Bede's were awarded a penalty stroke which was missed by Michael Cosma (the other Joint Man of the Match). Seaford took this opportunity and scored their second from a very good short corner set piece and they were now looking to push the St Bede's unit to their limit (3-2). St Bede's settled after this and scored two goals from the best school boy hockey skills seen for a long time, displayed by Michael Cosma and finished by Steve Perry and Pat Skinner to secure his hat trick (5-2). Seaford came back in the dying minutes to score two more, but too late (5-4) and St Bede's go through to the next round!

The defence, coordinated by Nick Paxton who made tackle after tackle, was again outstanding and there was total team effort from every player. St Bede’s can be proud to have been involved in a game of such high quality and credit must go to Toby Mullins and his Seaford College team which were outstanding.

Pictured: St Bede’s 1st XI