Double boost for Fareham U16 title hopes

Fareham Boys aim to put the cat amongst the proverbial pigeons in this weekend’s prestigious England Hockey Under-16 finals at Wakefield, near Leeds.
They are the rank outsiders amongst some of the country’s hockey elite, but travel to Yorkshire full of optimism after a seven-match winning run that has swept them into the national finals.
After beating Bournemouth (7-1), Haslemere (3-2), Trojans (6-1) and Winchester (5-4) to top the Wessex regional group, Fareham powered on to win all three matches in the South group at Charterhouse, where they defeated Bromley & Beckenham (3-0), Guildford (3-1) and Amersham & Chalfont (5-2).
Their quest for national glory begins against Repton School tomorrow SAT morning and continues with an afternoon game with Canterbury.
Fareham’s third group match is against Clifton Robinsons on Sunday morning.
If they win or finish second, they will play the top sides in the group containing Bowdon, Isca, Old Loughtonians, and Surbiton.
Fareham have released teenagers Phil Larcombe (pictured above left by Will Palmer) and Fergus Jackson from EHL play-off action to play in the Under-16 finals.
Fareham Under-16 squad: Phil Larcombe,  Noah Murphy, Joe Caine, Adam Shergold, Alex Ellison, Finn Coleman, Matt Walton, Alex Beckett, Ollie Slingsby, Ed Smith, Rory Buckeridge, Soren Golding, Jay Green, Sam Ratliffe, Ollie Jameson, Fergus Jackson.

---