U9 Tigers Hockey v Loretto

Won 4-3 and Lost 2-5

The U9 boys travelled down to Dunbar to play against their Belhaven counterparts. Our squad split into two teams, the Lions and Tigers (as has become this term’s tradition). Due to illness, we were down a few players today but Belhaven could only field 5 players per side, meaning we had one substitute.

In the Tigers’ first game, they passed very well, working the ball through the midfield out to the wings and then across the face of goal. It was fantastic hockey to watch and resulted in some spectacular passages of play and some fine goals. Archie put in a particularly good shift – acting as a defensive midfielder, who made some key tackles and then passed the ball through to the forwards, Archer, Ezra and Miguel, who made good use of their opportunities. Miguel also had a stint in defence, as did Nick and Hector – all playing an important role in keeping the ball out the goal. The match ended 4-3.

The second match got off to a good start. The Tigers put a lot of pressure on the opposition goal, but missed a few clear chances, which they would rue later. It must be said, though, that the play that led to these chances was high quality.

They eventually did get their reward and went two goals up, but Belhaven, to their credit, did not give up and spurred themselves on to raise their game. The put pressure on the Tigers, who then struggled a bit more to get the ball out of their own half. As tiredness grew, the boys struggled to track back to support their defenders, who were too often left outnumbered, and despite their best efforts the ball found its way into the goals five times.

Nevertheless, the boys played some commendable hockey and should be proud of their efforts this season. We have seen some excellent progress in their understanding of the game and their basic skills. Well done, boys!