HOCKEY: Banbury are national champs again

6:19pm Monday 5th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

BANBURY completed an amazing season when they retained the England Men's Trophy by beating Rotherham 6-2 in the final at Loughton on Saturday.

o The win meant that Banbury had completed an unprecendented double after they secured the South Premier B League title last month.

A dominant second-half display saw them to victory as they completed a perfect season in style.

Banbury started sluggishly, and it was Rotherham who looked more dangerous.

Only a last-ditch save from defender and man-of-the-match Tyson Nunneley, stopped Banbury from going behind.

Eventually they got going, and and after a couple of half-chances, broke the deadlock.

Fifteen-year-old George Brooker drove down the line and squeezed the ball between the keeper's legs and into the back of the net.

Rotherham bounced straight back through their star man Dan Berry, who smashed the ball under keeper Phil Smith to equalise.

For a ten-minute spell, Rotherham dominated, before Banbury got the upper hand without creating clear-cut chances.

Tim Craven's reverse stick shotwas the closest they came to scoring again before half-time.

Banbury took complete charge after ther break.

Adrian Simons regained them the lead five minutes into the second half, and he made it 3-1 four minutes later when his run and cross was deflected in by a Rotherham defender.

With the Yorkshire side being run ragged, there was more space for the Banbury midfield and forwards to cause mayhem.

From their only short corner of the game, Dave Clark smashed the ball home from a well-worked routine.

The goals did not stop coming and Clark doubled his tally when he smashed home from the top of the D.

Then with five minutes to go, Simon Boardman deflected home a Richard Foreman cross to make it 6-1.

Late on, Banbury were reduced to ten men when Geoff Snell was harshly sent to the sin-bin and Rotherham pulled a goal back from the final move when Graham Ibbotson rifled home a penalty corner to make it 6-2.

This goal was no more than a consolation for Rotherham, who have now lost twice in the Trophy final.