Spalding Hockey Club hosted the third of five primary school hockey tournaments scheduled for this school year at Glen Park, Surfleet, on Friday.
A full quota of 20 teams, around 160 youngsters, braved the February chill and thoroughly enjoyed the competition in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
As usual, the teams were divided into four graded leagues of five teams.
In the Advanced league, Monks House were once again dominant winning all four of their games.
They opened strongly with a 4-0 win over John Harrox A and carried on the momentum with three further wins over main competitors Tower Road A (1-0), Gosberton Academy A (3-0) and Ayscoughfee A (1-0) to end on top of the table.
Tower Road A finished in runner up spot with wins over Ayscoughfee A and John Harrox A (both 2-0) but were held to a draw (1-1) by Gosberton Academy A in their final game.
In the Intermediate league Boston-based Tower Road B looked impressive winning all four of their matches without conceding a goal.
Victories over St John’s and St Thomas’s A (both 1-0), and St Norbert’s A and Spalding Parish (both 2-0) put them well clear at the top of the table.
Spalding’s St John’s and Boston’s St Thomas’s A shared second spot with identical records, both winning one and drawing two of their other games.
It was a close run thing at the top of the Beginner A league with Peterborough’s Eye Primary battling it out with Tower Road C for the top spot.
A very well organised Eye Primary team in their early victories over St Thomas’s B (1-0) and Gosberton Academy B (4-0) but were beaten by Gosberton Risegate (1-2) in their third game before bouncing back with a win (1-0) over Tower Road C in a close fought game that put them top of the tree on goal difference.
The Beginner B league was also a close run affair between John Harrox A and St Norbert’s A, with both teams winning three and sharing a 1-1 draw.
John Harrox B beat Ayscoughfee B and Surfleet Primary (both 2-0) and Pinchbeck East (1-0) and so just pipped St Norbert’s B on goal difference to claim the top spot.
St Norbert’s B had impressed with their three victories over Pinchbeck East (2-1), Ayscoughfee B and Surfleet Primary (both 1-0) but had to settle for the runner up place.
The tournament was once again excellently controlled by volunteer officials from Spalding Hockey Club.
Tournament four is scheduled for Friday, March 14.
All pictures by Nigel Cookson.
