HC Knole Park win England Hockey National League Division Two South
HC Knole Park added the England Hockey National League Division Two (South) championship title to their recent incredible indoor success! In the six-team competition, HC Knole Park were statistically the lowest ranked side, however they won all five matches and have now qualified for the National League Division Two for a chance to be promoted to Division One!
Knole Park scored 40 goals in the five matches and conceded just 12 times. Captain Amelie was on top form as she top scored for Knole Park, as well as across the whole league with 19 goals. Lottie was second top scorer for Knole Park with five goals, and Josefina and Annabel both scored four times.
In match one, Knole Park played St. Albans, Hertfordshire. Goals from Annabel and Amelie gave the girls the perfect start. However, St. Albans replied almost immediately with two goals of their own. Lottie restored the Knole Park advantage with two goals to make it 4-2 at the break. Olivia then scored in the third quarter, before Josefina, Elen and Amelie completed the Knole Park scoring in the fourth quarter. The final score was 8-3 to Knole Park.
In match two, the team took on Marlow, Buckinghamshire. In an incredible first half the girls scored 8 times to take an 8-1 lead into the half-time interval. Hat-tricks for Josefina and Amelie, as another double for Lottie was the perfect start once again. The second half was a more even match as Marlow put up more resistance, however goals from Annabel and a third for Lottie meant it finished 10-1.
Into day 2 and match three against the other form side, Ipswich, Suffolk. Despite going a goal down to a remarkable drag-flick, the girls were in imperious form, and it was once again Amelie who topped the scoring charts as her four goals put Knole Park 4- 1. Further goals from Summer and Elen gave the girls a fantastic 6-2 win!
In match four, Knole Park knew that a win or draw would secure them the title and they really stepped up producing their performance of the weekend! A superb 6-0 win against fellow Kent side Canterbury summed up what an incredible month of indoor hockey it has been for Knole Park. Alice in goal, and Betrys, Sasha and Elloise were all excellent! Amelie once again opened the scoring, before completing her hat-trick in the second half. Jessica was brilliant, and she also claimed a very well taken hat-trick in the win.
In the final match of the tournament, it was top v bottom as Trojans from Southampton, Hampshire, were the opposition. With the league placings sorted it was a free game for both sides and it was the Hampshire side that started the better of the two as they could have scored within 15 seconds as their effort struck the crossbar, and they had another chance hit the post! Thankfully Knole Park had Amelie in top form, and she scored four times for a 4-0 lead. Two goals for Trojans just before half time gave reason for optimism and indeed it was exactly what they need as the score moved to 6-6 in the third quarter, with Amelie completing her double hat-trick for Knole Park. Into the final quarter and it was Knole Park who stepped it up a gear and with goals from Amelie, plus two from Annabel and one from Cordy gave the team a tough 10-6 win!
A fantastic weekend and now Knole Park move to the England Hockey National League Division Two over the weekend of the 22nd/23rd January. Here they will face Canterbury and Ipswich again, as well as Beeston HC from Nottinghamshire, Stourport and Bedford HC.
HC Knole Park’s Women’s 1st team were also in action outdoors as they restarted their league campaign with a rearranged match against Sevenoaks. Knole Park ran out comfortable 13-2 winners with Olivia scoring four times in a blistering opening ten minutes. There were also goals for Charlotte (2), Lottie, Alex, Ruth, LJ, Amy, Alessia, and Ines. This win extends Knole Park’s lead at the top of Invicta Division Two.
Knole Park’s U10 Girls and U12 Boys were also in action on Sunday. The U10 Girls played Canterbury and Tunbridge Wells. Flo scored three times, Elizabeth, Etta, Grace, and Ruby all scored twice and Sylvie once in the matches.
In the U12 Boys tournament they played Tunbridge Wells, Holcombe and Sevenoaks winning two and losing two to finish second overall. Goals from Jude (3) and Ted (2) helping the boys to the wins!
This weekend, Knole Park head to the National Indoor Finals with their U16 and U18 Girls teams. The showpiece event run by England Hockey to compete to be crowned the best side in England. Back home Knole Park will also have a full programme of senior and junior matches from U14 Boys & Girls through to Men’s and Women’s 1st teams taking place throughout the weekend.