It was a tough match against an accomplished opposition, and the end result doesn't do justice to the game Bedford had, but it was Deeside who took the gold medal, being crowned Tier 2 national champions, following a 5-0 victory, Bedford taking the silver as runners-up.
Team manager, and mother of one of the squad, Jenny Gurney, said of the team – “The boys deserve to be proud of themselves. With five 15-year-olds, they gave the more experienced, combined, Deeside and Chester clubs, a tough game. The score definitely didn’t reflect the narrow misses, great saves and twice hitting the post! Already looking forward to next year with these incredible young men”
One of the dads, Jetinder Dhaliwal, meanwhile, praised the boys, saying – “The boys did an amazing job and had a fabulous year. They played their hearts out, but it wasn't to be against a stronger opponent. Congratulations to Deeside.”
The sentiments were echoed, further, by another parent, Trish Sawyer – “So proud of them all. It was a great game to watch, and so much closer than the scoreline suggests. A young team who did very well!”
The concluding match of the season, being played at the club’s Chester Road ground, took place on Sunday, with a women’s friendly fixture between Bedford and a team of current and past St Neots players. The win went to Bedford, but the real victory of the day was the funds raised for the ongoing development of the Sports and Hockey Centre facilities.
The past few weeks have seen preparation work taking place at the centre, in readiness for contractors moving in at the end of the month to begin the replacement of both pitches, new LED lighting, new dugouts and spectator areas and new perimeter fencing, all of which will be completed in advance of the start of the 2025-26 season.
