14 March 2017
The KGS U14s finished 3rd in the Lancashire tournament on Tuesday 7 March after a tough day of competitive fixtures against Lytham, Ripley, Baines, AKS and Stonyhurst. The girls started the day well, winning their first two games. A 2-0 win over Ripley thanks to goals from Lizzie Coulston and Caity Preddy was followed by a 1-0 win over AKS thanks to a well-executed finish from Hannah Doyle after good attacking play down the right wing. Darcey Lonsdale and Anna Wilkinson were impressive in midfield as KGS dominated large portions of both games. Olivia Bickerstaff also impressed with some tough tackling and accurate distribution from defence. A disappointing performance against Lytham followed. The KGS girls lacked the urgency of their opposition who, to their credit, played some excellent hockey and defended with commitment. Despite pressing hard for an equaliser in the latter stages of the game, KGS succumbed to a 1-0 defeat. Needing to bounce back quickly, KGS went into the game against Baines knowing they would need to perform at a much higher level. Goals from Anna Wilkinson, Darcey Lonsdale, Margaret Hodgson, Alesha Mansfield, Charlotte Cross and Caity Preddy secured an 8-0 win. Going into the last match KGS knew nothing less than a win against Stonyhurst would help them win the trophy but, more importantly, they knew that a much greater level of commitment and determination was required throughout the team. Despite, ultimately, being beaten 1-0 by Stonyhurst the KGS girls played with real grit and never gave up even when faced with a 1-0 deficit. Perhaps a disappointing overall outcome but there were plenty of positives to end the season on.