48 NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2009
Next Next monthmonth
One cup lost,
another won
FORCES ice hockey players
converged once again on Sheffi eld
for the fourth annual combined
Tri-Service and Inter-Services
Command Championships with
the RN determined to hold on
to the main tri-Service trophy for
the third successive year.
The Navy struggled with player
availability and could only dress
one team in the Inter-Services
Command while the Army and
Royal Air Force came to the
competition with four and fi ve
teams respectively.
The RN had once again had
little opportunity to practise since
fi nishing the top British Service
team at the 2009 European
End of the
Services Championships.
That rustiness showed in
Taurus trail
the fi rst game against the RAF
Lossiemouth Jets with the
– what the
Destroyers losing 6-2.
The second game against
RAF Cosford Stars ended more
fl agship
positively as a 9-0 Destroyers
win. The penultimate game of
deployment
the fi rst day saw the Destroyers
facing their old rivals, the Army
has achieved
All-Stars, winners of the last
two Inter-Services Command
Championships. In a hard-
grafting game, a RN disallowed
goal was the fi nal difference in a
2-1 All-Stars win.
The RAF Brize-Norton/
Benson Blue Wings were the
fi nal opponents in the round
robin. The Destroyers went into
● (From l-r) Ex-CPO Paul Congerton, CPO Jakie Foran (Drake), goalkeeper PO(UW) Mickey Warriner, former AEM Tony Hayes and WO the game needing a win to have
Shane Lovett dash out to block a Mercianaries’ attempt on goal during a 6-0 defeat for the Masters Pictures: Keith Woodland, HMS Collingwood any chance at a semi-fi nal place.
The team performed when the
pressure was on, securing a well-
The century ends here
deserved victory and a place in
the second round.
That meant two more group
p
games with the winner advancing
R
to the fi nal.
c
The Destroyers’ opponents
f
would be the RAF Leuchars
One thing was certain: England a 4-0 lead before the heat of the Cdo) fi red in the one goal for
Knights and the Army All-Stars
Up ‘n’ Saturn
THE curtain has come
were not going to do the Navy any day began to get to them and the the RN U23 against the National
again.
down on the centennial
favours. togetherness of the Havant team Champions (who rattled in eight).
The Destroyers had little
– latest Lynx
season of Royal For the fi rst 25 minutes, the began the catch-up process. Pat The ‘Old Louts’ must have
trouble with the Knights,
Navy Hockey with an
score remained 0-0 until twice in enjoyed the game; they
disposing of them 10-0 before
quick succession despairing wrote thanking
taking to the ice against the All-
has a blast
unforgettable weekend in
RN tackles resulted us for the match
Stars. The sailors’ hard work was
Portsmouth – on and off
in defl ections and the occasion
rewarded with a 3-2 victory in
with Sea
the pitch. past Richie and would “love a
another close and thrilling match,
A 100th anniversary ball Potter in the return at their place”.
guaranteeing the Destroyers a
Skua
opened three climactic days, with RN goal It fell to the RN women
place in the ISCC fi nal, pitting
228 players past and present to give to bring an end to a
the RN against their adversaries
converging on the wardroom and England a weekend’s fi rst-class
from the fi rst day, RAF
gardens of HMS Nelson – from 2-0 lead at hockey and a match
Lossiemouth Jets.
members of today’s U21 squad to half time. against a Mercian
The fi nal was a close affair,
those who picked up sticks for the The pace of representative side.
and the game could have gone
RN some 60 years ago. the game and the The visitors
either way until the very end.
And so to the sport, and ability of the England were always going
Fortunately, the mistakes of day
two days of fi rst-rate hockey at players to ‘get low’, to be strong – at least
one were not repeated and the
Burnaby Road, writes Lt Cdr Alan so low to the ground National League level.
Destroyers came out on top 2-1,
Walker, RNHA. in winning-the-ball- Practically the entire top 20
securing the RN’s fi rst ever win of
First up, the RN Masters (U45s) back-situations took early Navy women’s players apart
the ISCC tournament.
versus the Mercianaries Masters, second-half promise away from the new captain, Lt Dee
The Tri-Service title slipped
one of three representative teams from the Navy and a steady McKenna (HMS Collingwood)
out of the Destroyers’ grasp,
coralled by the RN kit sponsors stream of England attempts on were not available to play in
however.
Stick leaders
Mercian. goal was converted. this prestigious match, most for
Four games in one day had left
There were six international caps The Navy’s attempts were operational reasons.
little time to recharge the batteries
– looking
in the Mercianaries, which explains invariably coming to nought, There was nothing else for it:
before taking to the ice again.
their 6-0 victory. It was a splendid not through inability, just by the development squad would
Lack of players meant that
match and the Navy always felt the England men producing represent the women. Chairman
there was no selection process to
back on 100
they were in with a shout – even international-standard tackles RNHA and women’s coach
decide who would make the team:
against the Mercianary goalkeeper when it mattered. Cdre Mark Darlington
all available hands on deck faced
years of
Simon Mason, not so long ago England coped admirably with worked very hard in
the RAF Ace..
voted world No.1 in Athens. all the fresh RN legs sent on and two days to train the
The limited numbers of players
Navy hockey
After a splendid U14s match rounded off the game superbly new women, most of and demanding schedule had
between the stars of Hampshire with a 10-0 scoreline. whom had not had even taken their toll of the RN skaters
and the stars of Havant (a 1-1 The 400-strong crowd had the the benefi t of exposure at and despite taking an early lead,
draw), six members of the RN pleasure of seeing ten goals go in Inter-Services level earlier they could not maintain the
tempo into the third and fi nal
Plus
Raiders freefall parachute display but of the Navy always giving their in the year.
team dropped in with the match best. A perfect end to a perfect Just as with the men’s team period.
balls for the Navy men’s match day’s hockey to cap a never-to-be- against England, the score The RAF dominated the last
with England A. forgotten occasion. inexorably ran into double fi gures. 20 minutes and pulled ahead to
’bean busy?
Leading the skydivers was a The fi rst day’s play ended with McAuley’s Still the Mercianaries kept coming win their fi rst ever TSC game 8-6.
veteran of over 3,500 jumps, RN a centennial cocktail party aboard men managed forward, still the RN women kept It was a disappointing defeat
hockey umpire Lt Cdr Phil Gibbs HMS Victory, closing with a to hang on to their their efforts going. but it highlighted the RN’s
On the
(Fleet HQ). On the ground he was 30-minute display by the Band of lead and win an There is no doubt that the RN over-reliance on a small core
delighted to peel off his harness HM Royal Marines in the arena evenly-matched game 4-2. women were making the most of experienced players, some
lookout for
and fl ying suit to act as a reserve next to the fl agship. The U23s next to the fi eld of this fantastic and exceptional of whom had recently left the
umpire to recently-retired Lt Cdr Navy hockey stalwart Lt Cdr against the Mercian League’s occasion to enjoy themselves, to Service and others could not
drug-runners
Andy Higgins and his England Alan Walker was invited to take national champions, Old use it as a vehicle for future team attend the championships for
umpire colleague Tony ‘TK’ the salute. Loughtonians U18s (including the building. Service reasons.
with Iron
Kelleher. And now back to the hockey. odd U16 and U18 international). It was heartwarming to see them, The loss of the TSC was
England A comprised 14 The second day’s sport opened These youngsters were more the game over, shaking hands with avenged a few weeks later at
players and were led by Dave with the RN Over 55s against than a match for the Navy lads, their opponents, heads held high, the Annual Metropolitan Police
Duke
Bunyan, journeyman and stalwart Havant Over 55s. several of whom had been out smiling faces, and the enthusiasm Charity Tournament in Slough.
of England’s national teams for Cdr Eric Tonkin, former in Afghanistan for six or seven with which the Mercianaries The RAF, Army, HM Prison
two decades or more. Commander AE, at 77 was the months and had only had a desert returned the compliment. Service, Metropolitan Police and
At the last count, the Navy oldest player on the RN team – on which to practise. Normal service resumes on RN played in support for Help
had 11 on the park and 12 on the beating the record of the great Joe The Navy’s rustiness for hockey the hockey front next month for Heroes with the Navy coming
bench, 23 in total, so keen were Binks aged 72 of a few years ago. after fi nely-tuned operations with the three-day mixed Inter- top of all Service teams, narrowly
available players to play in this The Navy fared a little better abroad began to slowly disappear Specialisation Festival at Burnaby losing to the Metropolitan Police
memorable fi xture. in this game and managed to take and Mne Adam Corkell (42 Road on September 4-6. in the fi nal.
Published by Navy News, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth and printed by St Ives (Andover) plc.
048_NN_August.indd 1 21/7/09 16:46:11
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