1/4 Finalists

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A sunny Saturday in April can often be as rare as rocking horse do-do, but Spencer Hockey Club seem to be able to time it just right every year. With a slightly later festival this year - to allow for the elongated league fixtures - the chances of sun were even greater... the chances of quality hockey weren't looking good though. With a team made up from anyone available, a debut for MJ in goal and Riley's first start for over 11 months... expectations were significantly low.

They weren't particularly inspired to be revised upwards when the trademark Dragons slow start saw the first game lost 2-0. Scoring was looking unlikely, let alone a win. It was at this point things changed... an air of self belief came in to play. Bettina's injury saw the team lose their only 'good' player and that was exactly the catalyst that was needed... grass is our surface and we began to show why... stick tackles, unmerited shouts of 'bobble' and Wilsh's sliding fop-dive block saw the tides slowly turn. Chris (slower than Evolution) and Emma (very slightly mad) supplied the goals while Anna & Linds wandered around the midfield. Mike floored women in a way that no man outside of incarceration should be allowed to do, even MJ offered up a few amazing saves (the saves themselves weren't much to talk about, but the fact he made any was worth mention!).

And so the team gradually turned the corner and began to creep up the league and into the quarter-finals. Slightly unfortunately the opposition managed to claim two England internationals in their midst which everso slightly tipped the balance of play in their favour. The full time klaxon went and so did the Dragons hope of silverware. Of course, we've no cabinet to put any in and no-one cared... after all, the semi-finals would have meant playing another game!

The results were as follows:

Game	Team	Result	Scorers
Pool Game 1	Undercuts	L0-2
Pool Game 2	Cobras	D0-0
Pool Game 3	LCMF	W2-1	Chris (2)
Pool Game 4	Surbiton	W3-0	Chris (2), Mike
1/4 Finals	One Shots	L2-3	Emma (2)

A quality start to the season and the best ever result in the Spencer Festival. The first tour of the season and already quarter-finalists. Bring it on! This summer is gonna be a scorcher.

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Team: Mark Jones (GK), Simon Wilshire, Si Riley, Mike Wright, Chris Richman, Emma Bilsdon, Anna Stuttard, Linds McLaren & Bettina Wolff.