Spalding Hockey Club stages primary school tournament at Glen Park in Surfleet

Spalding Hockey Club hosted the fourth of five primary school hockey tournaments planned for this year at Glen Park in Surfleet last Friday.

Nineteen teams from 12 local primary schools participated in the tournament which gave more than 150 youngsters the chance to represent their schools and play competitive hockey.

The games were once again excellently controlled by teenage umpires from Spalding Hockey Club.

The 19 teams were divided into four graded leagues. Four teams competed in the Advanced League A, the most experienced, with five teams in each of the Intermediate and Beginner A and B leagues.

In the Advanced League, Boston-based Tower Road A started strongly in the heavy rain by catching Ayscoughfee A cold and recording an 8-0 win.

They went on to beat Monkshouse (2-0) and John Harrox A (3-1) in two closely contested games to win the league.

Strong contenders Monkshouse went on to record wins over John Harrox A (3-0) and Ayscoughfee a (8-1) to clinch the runner-up spot.

Gosberton Academy A were impressive in the Intermediate League by winning all four games in style.

They opened with a decisive 2-0 win over Tower Road B who had been unbeaten for two tournaments.

With this great start, confidence built and they went on to beat St Thomas' (3-2), St John's (3-0) and St Norbert's A (2-0) to secure the league title.

Tower Road B recovered from their first defeat to beat St John's (3-1), St Norbert's A (1-0) and St Thomas' (4-0) to end in second place.

Newly promoted Spalding Parish showed that they can progress further by taking the Beginner A league by storm with four straight wins without conceding a goal.

Wins over Gosberton Risegate (3-0), Tower Road D (3-0), Pinchbeck East (3-0) and Tower Road C (2-0) put them well clear of the field with impressive performances.

Pinchbeck East secured the second place on goal difference, having beaten Tower Road D (2-0) and added goalless draws with Tower Road C and Gosberton Risegate.

In the tightly contested Beginner B League where goals were at a premium, undefeated Ayscoughfee B came out on top.

They beat Gosberton Academy B (1-0) and John Harrox B (2-1) and fought out goalless draws with Surfleet Primary and newcomers St Norbert's B.

John Harrox B just pipped Surfleet Primary to second place on goal difference having beaten the locals (2-0) in the deciding game.

The tournament finals are scheduled for Friday, May 3 at Glen Park.