Champions Of The East

Hertford U12 Girls Lionesses, coached by Warren Holme, have had a phenomenally successful year, undefeated all season, drawing only 2 matches, scoring 187 goals in total, and conceding only 6.

Having won the Hertfordshire County Finals last month, they were hoping for their excellent form to continue at the East of England Finals at Pelicans in Kings Lynn on Sunday

The girls started strongly with a 5-0 win over Norfolk champions Harleston Magpies, including a Florrie Pidduck hat-trick and this was followed by a 4-0 victory over Essex Blue Hornets and secured Hertford a semi-final spot with a draw against Bury St Edmunds, whose stalwart defending kept Hertford from getting on the scoresheet for only the second time this season.

Centre-forward Ruby Milburn got Hertford off to a great start with exceptional finishing, Florrie Pidduck, and Olivia Holme were dominant in midfield with outstanding stickwork and great composure, and Harrie Shipton and Sienna Goodfellow's hard work and creative passing play on the wings kept up constant pressure.
Superb defending, with excellent distribution and tactical awareness by Cara Nolan, Nancy French, and Scarlett Blakeney-Edwards and a calm, focused performance from Emily Perkins in goal made Hertford formidable opposition.

In the final game, a 3-1 win over Cambridge Juniors saw Hertford top their group.

Facing Cambridge City in the semis, Hertford were unlucky not to take an early lead with Florrie Pidduck's shot cleared off the line. Hertford kept up the pressure on the Cambridge defence, but Cambridge pulled ahead with a well-worked goal against the run of play. Hertford dug deep and played some beautiful hockey with a fine individual goal from Olivia Holme leveling the score and taking the game to a penalty shoot-out.

Olivia Holme and Florrie Pidduck both scored, with Cambridge also converting 2 shots, leading to a sudden-death round, where Olivia Holme's unstoppable shot and Emily Perkins' great save put Hertford through to the final.

The final was an all-Hertfordshire match, against a stylish St Albans team who had won all their group games. Ruby Milburn broke the deadlock with a fantastic individual effort, pouncing on a Scarlett Blakeney-Edwards clearance and outpacing two defenders. Ruby was on the scoresheet again two minutes later, with Olivia Holme making it 3 from a short corner.

Hertford's victory booked them a place in the national finals in May with the other 7 area winners

Team: Emily Perkins, Cara Nolan, Scarlett Blakeney-Edwards, Olivia Holme, Florrie Pidduck, Harrie Shipton, Ruby Milburn, Sienna Goodfellow and Nancy French