They beat every team they met, except eventual winners Oldham, and second-placed Tameside, who happened to be the Jersey girls’ first opponents.
Coach Linda Andrews said: ‘They just came out and hit us – literally as well as in their play – and they were too much for us.
But they didn’t run away with the game, we lost 6-4 – and they got to the finals!’ J United were the only team to give Oldham a real battle, with the final score 13-10.
‘We were closer than any of the other teams, who were being beaten by big scores, like 19-8, but we gave them a really good game.’ Jersey got to the quarter-finals and, having just played against Oldham, found themselves up against Cheshunt, who beat them 13-10.
‘Our girls played very well indeed,’ Andrews said.
‘I felt they were good enough to get to the final, but we were up against some very tough and physical teams who play lots of competition at this level.
They punished us for any little mistake – as we did to other teams we played – but we need to play at this level more often.’ Jersey, supported by Education, were the best-placed team of all the southern counties and London.
‘That is a brilliant achievement for the girls,’ Andrews said.
‘The teams we meet are good – but they are not unbeatable.
I wasn’t able to be at this tournament last year so didn’t know exactly what we needed to work on, but having seen the physicality of the other teams’ play this year I now know exactly what we have to work on.’ ‘We are nipping at the heels of these long-established teams who have regular training from England coaches.
We’re just little Jersey, and most of the time we play against our own teams, yet we’re the best in the south of England in competitions like this.’ Jersey: Emma Carré, Jenna Murphy, Lucy Crossman, Alex Austin, Elianne Riant, Amy Dingle, Laura Harris, Lisa Luce, Kirsten McArthur, Nicole Goddard.
Coaches: Linda Andrews and Debbie Pitman.
Officials: Natacha Morgan Pasquali and Maureen Cox.
