FOR the first time that anyone at the Isle of Wight Hockey Club can recall, the men’s first team achieved a historic league and cup double after going the entire season unbeaten.
The team, which wrapped up the South Central Hockey League Division 3 title a few weeks ago, added the cherry on the cake by winning the HHA Hampshire Trophy — for the first time in a decade — by defeating Romsey 3-2 at Basingstoke on Sunday.
Along with promotion gained by the ladies’ first team, it made for one of the most successful seasons ever in the club’s long and distinguished history — most notably, in the modern era, with success harder to come by.
The Island had to be at their best to beat a strong Romsey side.
From the face-off, the Island pressed hard and got the final off to the perfect start.
After winning a short corner, a fast ball to the top of the D allowed Aaron Hoare to launch a ‘drag flick’, which flew into the net.
Still pressing, a ball from Samuel Challis found Adam Payne, who drove into the D.
Romsey succumbed to blow after blow from the Island’s attack.
Tom Turney narrowly missed a well-aimed aerial pass from Hoare, but his pace and a reverse shot from Challis made the Romsey defence sweat.
Payne almost added to the scoreline after a straight ball to the top of the D from Stuart Allen.
Romsey had their fair share of opportunities, breaking up the midfield, but were kept out by the stalwart defence of Ethan Edmunds-Lamb, Lewis Heaven-Gandy, Allen and Patrick Butt.
End-to-end play led to a long corner for the Island.
Taking the chance to drive the ball into the D, Payne tactically won a short corner.
Stephen Woodford passed to Hoare, who beat the keeper with a rasping drag flick, to make it 2-0.
Island keeper, Tom Speer, was forced into action — saving a one-on-one situation with a Romsey forward.
Moments later, a short corner ball bobbled into the goal and a green card for Hoare saw the Islanders reduced to ten men for the next couple of minutes, meaning they sat deep, but held their own against the Romsey attack until half-time.
With all to play for in the second half, precision passing between Challis, Edwards and Payne saw the Island tear up the opposition in their half and earned a short corner.
The Romsey keeper came to his side’s rescue from it — and two more chances that followed in quick succession.
After a superb tip-over by Speer, Romsey equalised and the game became increasingly tense for the IW after letting their two-goal advantage slip.
But backed a coach full of supporters on the sidelines cheering them on, the Island dug deep and gave all they had as they pushed the opposition back into their own half.
Despite a quick succession of short corners, in which the Romsey defence read Hoare’s drag flick attempts well, IW changed their tactics when they won another short corner — this time, a short pass right allowing Payne to put the Island back in front.
With minutes to go, Romsey hit back and won themselves a short corner, but they were unable to convert, handing the Island the Hampshire Trophy for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
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