JERSEY’S men’s hockey first XI have clinched a quarter-final place in the National Trophy tournament with a golden goal win over Bexleyheath & Belvedere at Les Quennevais.
Equalling their best-ever result in the competition, the Investec side made the most of a rare home advantage, rousing a 100-strong crowd of supporters for a tense tie that finished 2-2 after normal time.
Jersey made a nervous start and fell to an early disadvantage as the strong south east London side scored in the first minute of the game, but on-field captain Mark Dicker soon equalised from a penalty corner at 14 minutes, before Peter Millar set up Stuart Ramskill with a great angle for a clinical finish to put Jersey 2-1 up.
Both sides created chances in the second half, but as Jersey were slow to release the ball Bexleyheath scored a classy deflected goal from a right slip move from a penalty corner, equalising with 16 minutes to go.
Jersey looked dangerous in the dying minutes but it took to golden goal extra time to find the winner – the Islanders won a penalty corner within a minute, and a Dicker rebound was flicked in by Ramskill for a 3-2 victory.
Jersey players celebrate beating Bexleyheath & Belvedere in the National Hockey Tropy. Picture by Richard Wainwright (00626261)
