YOUNG Joe Dowley was the penalty hero who put Ben Rhydding Hockey Club's Under-11 team through to the National Finals in Nottingham on Sunday, May 15. They will play against teams representing East, West, South and the Midlands.

A weekend of excitement and high drama culminated in Ben Rhydding U-11s becoming the North Champions and securing a place in these National Finals.

In the Northerns nerves were evident as they anxiously began their campaign and an uncharacteristic goal celebration from the usually icy Sam French indicated what a relief it was to open the scoring. George Gamble put a second in and French slammed in a third. Elliot Dowley put away a reverse sweep to make it 4-0.

The Cheshire champions were a destructive team who set out to smother all possession and this game finished 0-0.

Knowing that goal difference may prove to be crucial Ben Rhydding went into their last pool game against a Lancashire side eager to score quickly. In a 5-0 win scorers were Sam French (4) and Elliot Dowley.

This put them through to the semi-final against Yorkshire rivals Doncaster. This was a tense, gritty affair. An early goal from Joe Dowley settled nerves and was enough to put them into the final.

Goalkeeper, Richard Melia was nothing short of miraculous in this game putting his heart and soul into keeping the ball out of the net. A breakaway goal from the opposition in the first-half seemed to ignite Richard and he put on a performance of breathtaking bravery.

The boys showed they are true champions by coming out in the second-half, a goal down and setting to work. Joe Dowley's reactions, picking off the rebound from the save made to stop his brother's shot, levelled the scores.

In the penalty shoot out Rhydding twice missed and this left Joe Dowley to step up having to score to keep them in it. He clinically whipped home a text book flick to put them into sudden death penalties. Woodhead and French made no mistake and when the final Borders player missed it was down to Joe Dowley to make them the Northern Champions and secure their trip to the National Finals.