THE Boys and girls of Ben Rhydding Hockey Club Colts staged their annual festivals.

In the morning the Under-10 boys took centre stage playing six-a-side, the regular format for Yorkshire Under-10 hockey.

Teams were invited from Adel, Almondbury, Doncaster, Harrogate, Wakefield and York.

Ben Rhydding entered two boys teams and a girls' team. The B Team boys aged 7-8 years and coached by Demy Dowley played some excellent hockey displaying all the skills learned during the season.

They were joint winners of the group with Almondbury. The A Team boys played in the senior competition against Doncaster, Harrogate, Wakefield and York, the top Yorkshire teams in the County under-10 league.

The Ben Rhydding boys, managed on the day by 13 year-old William Musgrave thoroughly deserved to beat Doncaster 1-0 in the final to lift their own trophy.

This was a fine performance by the team with William Day, Tom Stoddart, Ed Pitcher and Oliver Watson giving excellent support to Callum Connor, Kieran Borrett and Alan White.

The visitors were entertained to a light lunch organised by mothers and presentations were made by Lorna Connor of Ben Rhydding Colts sponsors Wells, Connor and Co.

The trophy for the most improved Under-10 player was presented to Patrick Smith and for the Under-8s to Joe Thompson..

Finance for the event was gratefully received from a number of local enterprises including four Seasons Grocers, Dobson and Robinsn, WH Smith, Spar, Tesco and The Factory Shop.

In the afternoon the girls staged their event played as an Under-12 seven-a-side competition.

Teams were invited from Driffield, Wakefield and York with Driffield emerging as the winners of a keenly fought competition.

Otliensians Ladies'

narrow win

Otliensians...........4

Halifax/Calder...3

LAST Saturday an Otliensians Ladies side made up of both first and second team members entertained Halifax and Calder at Weetwood in a friendly match.

Because this was the last game of the season, as a novelty, the Otliensian's captain decided to put the players in positions they were not used to.

This seemed like a good idea generally but when Halifax scored early in the first-half Otliensians were not so sure. Eventually the players more or less settled into their alien positions and were rewarded with an equaliser from a Sue Trainor special from the back of the circle.

Within minutes Otliensians were attacking the Halifax goal again and Sue Parry slid the ball past the 'keeper.

Shortly into the second-half Halifax equalised but an undaunted Otliensians kept pressurising in the circle until Hayley Robinson controlled an awkward ball in the circle and with some skilful movement put the ball in the net.

An unforced error from the Otliensians' defence allowed Halifax to penetrate and level the score again.

In a fast, free-flowing game it was difficult to tell who would be the final victors but then Sue Aldridge thundered down the wing, into the circle and slammed the ball home. Maggie Joce and Hayley Robinson both had their moments in this game but Player-of-the-Match Points were awarded to Sue Aldridge.

l On Thursday a group of Otliensian Ladies make their annual pilgrimage to the Isle of Man for their Easter Tour.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.