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Guernsey’s Ladies were on the wrong end of a dramatic comeback, while the Men were then soundly beaten as Jersey retained the headline Inter-Insular crowns in the first team games.
Those two results topped off a total of six matches and levelled the score on the day at 3-3 meaning that Jersey also retained the overall prize and the Big Stick will sit in their club house for another year.
The Ladies first team hockey inter-insular was a game of two halves.
Guernsey were clinical in the first, going in at the break 4-1 up after a timid and disorganised performance from the home side.
However, an inspired performance from Jersey skipper Natacha Kay and her team led to a remarkable comeback, scoring four unanswered goals in the second half to win the match 5-4 and send the players and home supporters alike into delirium.
Kay said: “I can’t quite believe what we have just achieved. That was the most amazing game of hockey to be a part of.”
Guernsey took the lead after just eight minutes through Becky McAllister, before Tash
Symes doubled that shortly after. Emma Bower grabbed one back for the hosts, but then Katherine Bushell and Lucy Waldrom both scored from short corners.
Forward Jamey Henderson fired the hosts back into contention from close range shortly after the restart.
The Caesareans were pushing hard and their pressure came to fruition when Henderson grabbed her second to make it 4-3.
Sarnian goalkeeper, Emma Atkinson, was being kept regularly on her toes, including an excellent save from Grace Wetherall.
But even she was unable stop the momentum, as Bower scored again to level the game at 4-4 late on.
Just as the home fans were getting their head around what an incredible comeback they were watching, Henderson decided to write her name into Jersey Hockey folklore. A goalmouth scramble fell to her feet, and she slotted away to complete her hat-trick and send the Les Quennevais crowd upside down with almost the last play of the game.
A visibly emotional coach, Simon Watling, said: “I have played and coached in so many inter-insulars and I don’t think I’ve had a feeling like this before.
“I am so proud of this group of ladies. To come back from where we were at half-time, looking completely down and out, it’s just an incredible achievement.
“If I’m honest, I think we deserved to be 4-1 down at the break. We struggled in the first half with our structure and marking Guernsey’s forwards.
“They were also clinical in our final third and they fully deserved to be in the lead at that time.
“But I knew we had the talent and the desire to win the game. Maybe it sounded ambitious at the time, but here we are talking about the most amazing comeback any of us can remember so, these girls can do anything."
Elsewhere, the Seconds result went the Sarnian’s way, with Liza Sayer giving her team their first inter-insular win over Jersey in 13 years. While the Thirds match was also won by Guernsey, this time 2-1.
Pictured: Sam Watling opens the scoring.
“Dominant.” That was the word used by Jersey men’s hockey player/coach, Tom Sibley, after his side’s convincing 3-0 victory against Guernsey..
Sam Watling’s goal put the hosts 1-0 up at the break, before Jamie Bolton made it two with a neat deflection off a long shot. Sam Dunstan then took advantage of Guernsey’s late push for a goal, adding a third at the death.
Pictured: Jersey's Tom Millar is tackled by Adie Peacegood.
Sibley said: “I’m super happy right now, I thought we played excellently.
“This was my fifth inter-insular and I had previously drawn three, which meant Guernsey retained the trophy, and last year we just snuck over the line with a last minute win.
“But to really dominate the tie this year was extremely satisfying.
“I thought we probably should have been a few up at half time to be honest, we spoke about that at the break.
“We knew they were going to fight hard, so it was crucial we got those second half goals.
“The game got a bit scrappy in the end, as it always does against Guernsey, but we held our composure well and I’m so pleased we were able to get over the line.”
In the third XI clash, Guernsey won 4-3, while that scoreline was reversed in the Seconds.
Jersey’s Phil Cuming opened the scoring for the 2s, before Pierre Sangan scored twice to give them 3-0 lead before half time.
Hugo Le Clerc and Tom Still grabbed two goals back for Guernsey in quick succession.
Cuming scored again to make it 4-2 to the hosts, before the men in green brought it back again to 4-3. It was a nervy final 15 minutes, but the home side held on for the win.
Pictured top: Guernsey goalkeeper Emma Atkinson dives at the feet of Jersey's Izzy Heelis.
All pictured by Jon Guegan. Reports by Elliot Corbel.
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