NAVY NEWS, JULY 2010


45


FAA serve


IT DOES not get any easier to get the teams out but Navy hockey did itself prouder than proud in making a special effort turning out nine teams for the final outdoor Inter-Command Tournament of 50 for retiring


RNHA secretary Alan Walker. As well as the ten matches for the five senior men’s teams from


Portsmouth, Plymouth, Scotland, Naval Air and Royal Marines there were a further six women’s matches featuring all of the above... except the Royals. In addition, past and serving veterans competed in an excellent


veterans match, two RN U23 teams played against each other and the Navy women took on a Havant team of young county/regional, even some junior international players in a fitting finale as the 19th match in a three-day event. Normally a quarter of the hockey-playing Navy finds it possible to be present or available at any one time. On this occasion it was more like ten per cent with several late


withdrawals of key players. Plymouth’s honorary-appointed coach CPO(PT) Nick Carter of


Yeovilton – also in his final Inter-Command event – worked wonders to even get a team: 27 male players were selected three weeks before the event only for them to lose about half that squad for Service reasons in the preceding week. LPT Elise Griffiths (HMS Drake) too worked her socks off to get a Ladies team out for Plymouth who finished a creditable third.


or permitted time for sport, the nine command teams produced the best Inter-Command tournament in anyone’s memory. Anyone who saw the fourth-fifth place match in the men’s


event could only marvel at the high standard achieved by both teams.


too; the absence of some of the habitual ‘stars’ made room for others to get their chance to shine. In the women’s contest, Naval Air were clear winners. It


was good to see old colleagues returning to the fold, some after several seasons of being at sea.


Scotland had brought the largest squad where skipper Laura Laing, back safely home from Afghanistan, gave credit at the presentations to goalkeeper Amy Logan and team secretary LPT Regaina Cawley. For Plymouth ABs Elise Broughton and


There were brave performances in the women’s matches Despite nine-tenths of the hockey-playing Navy not being able


up a thriller


Rachel Walters (both HMS Campbeltown) were nominated for team awards. Finally for Portsmouth, LS Rebecca Hunter and S/Lt Helen Taylor received nominations for their contributions from RNHA Vice President and former President RNHA Rear Admiral Ian Tibbitt attending as one of 20 (nine ex–serving and 11 serving ) umpires and officials. In the men’s competition, each team played


with a winning goal in the dying seconds by LA(Phot) Stuart Hill. There were some weary legs tottering out to take part in the veterans’ matches, one team led by Admiral Tibbitt, the other by WO Shane Lovett (CTC RM Lympstone). Shane is to be also congratulated on two


two matches on Day 1 with Air and RM topping the leaderboard, and Plymouth and Scotland yet to open their accounts. The opening match on Day 2 was significant as – for the first time in years – Portsmouth beat the Green Machine 3-1. Cdre Mark Darlington was inspirational in this match along with Welsh international Danny Makaruk (HMS Illustrious), while Air duly beat Plymouth 2-0. The resurgent Portsmouth took Scotland apart 9-3, the former with an eye on an Inter- Command win, the latter fighting for their very lives – a cracking match. RM vs Air was a wonderful match too with a great deal riding on the result. A win or draw would seal the tournament for the Fleet Air Arm; a 1-0 win for Royal would give the title to Pompey, while the marines needed around six goals to win the event themselves. The 2-2 draw – an outstanding


place, being left to rue their misfortune in not having all their players available on the Thursday. Royal ended in a most-unaccustomed third place,


between Scotland and Plymouth. What a match! Scotland took it 5-4


good availability as usual, possibly due to their ten days in Virginia Beach the week before, where a much stronger RM team lost in the final on penalties of the world- famous JFK Memorial Tournament. The final match of the men’s event was


having sustained not-as-


match with a capacity crowd – saw the RM knocked off their at-least-seven- year perch of superiority. The Naval Air Command teams then embarked on a celebration which went on long into the night. Portsmouth were limited to second


counts: first for being chosen by CSHA to lead the Combined Services over 50s men’s team and also for being selected – along with Mne Alan Thomson and former Lt John Barratt – for the England over 50s squad. The U23s match was next, marshalled and organised by RN U23 coach CPO Colin ‘Connor’ McClure. ET(ME) Matt Balcombe (1 AGRM) and LLogs Graham Kerr (Northwood) captained/ managed the teams and it is clear there is a great deal of new talent around. This tournament was conspicuous in giving chances for full command representation to more U23 age-group players than ever before. The Navy women’s game added a final polish to a splendid three days of hockey. The sun had shone throughout and the RN


girls generally coped well with their talented young opponents. This match notched up yet another milestone in coach Mark Darlington’s quest to restore the RN team to former glories of 20 years ago. Back then the Army and RAF were in absolute dread of the Navy women, who were at the top for 13 years in a 16-year cycle 1971-86. What goes round comes around – there are a few potential Ark Royals emerging in the Navy defence with an encouraging number of Daring class zipping around up front. It’s now full steam ahead for the inter- specialisation tournament mixed-gender seven-a-side event featuring 224 games (12 or 15 minutes long) over two days. Teams from logistics (four or five), medical


(four), Fleet Air Arm (four), warfare (ten), Royal Marines (four), submarines (three), engineers (three) – and maybe a few others are set to play in up to five pools at HMS Sultan, Whale Island and Burnaby Road on Saturday and Sunday July 3-4. More details from rnso1@fleetfost.mod.uk or alanwalker@hockeyman.freeserve.co.uk


picture: la(phot) stu hill, frpu north


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