Back Row L – R: Anna Roberts, Grace Walker, Imani Botham, Ella Durkin, Gina Roberts, Marianne Morrice (GK) Megan Allen
Front Row L – R: Amelia Borchard, Lucy Williams, Emilia Proctor, Annabel Hill (Capt), Amalia Watkins, Summer Marshall
(Missing from the photo is Louella Gill and Charlotte Hollinrake)

Sunday 30th March saw the girls take on the challenge of keeping the YYHL Playoffs trophy for a second year, playing at Halifax hockey club in unusually good weather for Halifax.
With one team short in their pool of competitions all teams played an extra 5 minutes in their games making them 30 minutes in length.
Thirsk’s first game saw them against Ben Rhydding who they had met in previous encounters of the youth league. It took Thirsk a good 10 minutes to settle into their play, meaning Ben Rhydding did press the midfield and defence but this was ably dealt with by full backs Ella Durkin and Summer Marshall. Eventually Thirsk settled into their usual flowing game with central midfielder Annabel Hill moving the ball around so well to the free players on the wing. Right winger Grace Walker always in open space attacked the Rhydding circle so strongly. The short corner routines for the girls also paid dividends with the many hours of practice coming to fruition, again Grace Walker in the fray scoring a wonderful deflection on the right post in this game. Thirsk never gave Ben Rhydding much chance with the ball remaining in their half of the pitch. Grace again being rewarded with another goal in this game. Ever present in all attacking play Emilia Proctor was a thorn in the side of the Rhydding defence line never giving up fighting for the ball, on occasions too eager and being penalised by the umpire for not being far enough away from the ball on free hits. However she did not give up and in this game scoring two goals herself. Final result being a 4 – 0 win to Thirsk.
With a one hour before their next game Thirsk took the chance to take a well-earned break chilling out in the Halifax bar area reflecting on what they could have done better and the up and coming tour to Holland during the World Cup Games.
Next game against Leeds, new opponents to Thirsk, they applied pressure from the off. Anna Roberts, Amalia Watkins linking well down the right hand side, to again push the ball forward Megan Allen in the fray and worked exceptionally hard taking a hard fall but picking herself up quickly and carrying on to be rewarded with a deflected goal. Goal number one on the scoreboard. Again the defence of Thirsk held strong on one occasion Ella running the ball from the back cleanly making her way through a number of players all the way to the Leeds circle then laying the ball off to Lucy Williams scoring her first goal of the competition. Thirsk constantly kept up the pressure and each of these players were rewarded with a goal Grace Walker (on the scorecard again with her hat trick after only 2 games), Imani Botham playing well out on left wing, Emilia Proctor scoring also her 3rd goal of the day. Another good win 5 – 0 to Thirsk topping this pool.
Into the semi-finals Thirsk opponents were Wakefield, and this time the pitch proved the problem having played both previous games on the sand based pitch they switched to play on the water based one which had a lot more movement on it. Wakefield having played all their previous games on this pitch was at an advantage. In this game Marianne Morrice in goal had a bit more to do, but just wasn’t able to keep a clean sheet with only one goal getting past her all day and this was in the Wakefield game. This gave Thirsk the impudence to work harder and team captain Annabel encouraged all her team to do so. Amelia Borchard and Gina Garnet working well off the ball moving players away from the attacking line making spaces for Annabel and Lucy Williams to run into playing the ball through to centre forward Emilia Proctor who didn’t falter getting yet another goal making this the 4th goal for her. For Annabel’s tireless commitment throughout the days competition she was rewarded with a well worked goal. Wakefield did play some great hockey and Thirsk did not have it all their own way at all during this game they really had to work for the result.
Thirsk were in the final for a second year running. This time their opponents were Ben Rhydding who they had met in their first round, they had beaten City of York to get to the finals on penalty strokes. Ben Rhydding had improved over the games played and it did not go all Thirsk's way. The game was played out in the Ben Rhydding half with not many chances for Rhydding to make an indent into the Thirsk defence line, Ella and Anna more than able to deal with the encroachments, Marianne in goal not having much to do. With time running out Thirsk continued to apply pressure on the Rhydding circle who just couldn’t clear from danger and they were rewarded with a short corner, Lucy Williams injecting the corner and scoring from another well worked routine running in on left post and scoring. The final whistle blowing Thirsk were the Playoff champions by the one goal.
As coach for the girls over this last season I am so so proud of them all, all these players (missing from today’s game regular players Louella Gill and Charlotte Hollinrake) have contributed throughout the season to get to this point.
The weekend of the 6th April sees the girls play in the North round of the U14 girls EHB Cup game in Chester and I wish them good luck at this competition and if they play as they have today there’s no stopping them. Do Thirsk Hockey Club proud girls.
The team coach, Bev Longthorne, must mention and thank Keren Williams (Lucy’s mum) she has organised getting a full team together each week for her and she has been a god-send for doing so. Also to all the parents of the girls a big thanks to you for your continued support of both the players and Bev throughout the season, it has been appreciated.