Agony in final for Panthers

APPROVED PERSONNEL Panthers were undone by a single goal, denied the win their play all day had thoroughly deserved. Jersey's RWB, keen to defend their trophy, sneaked victory by that one scrappy goal, breaking Panthers' hearts after so much classy play all day.

Defeat was made all the more bitter to swallow as Panthers had won their group earlier in the day, including a win over their Jersey opponents.

It was a punishing schedule, but the players responded superbly.

'There was some of the best women's hockey I've seen since I've been involved,' said GHC president and umpire Ray Bushell.

Panthers won their group ahead of RWB, Jersey Ladies topped their pool with Cubs in second, so there were the intriguing semi-finals, one all-Guernsey, the other all-Jersey and a guaranteed inter-island final.

The blacks took the Guernsey honours, holding off a spirited Cubs side 3-1. RWB disposed of their fellow islanders by the same score. So it was set up: the two respective island's league leaders in opposition in the final.

With the match just 20min. each way, there was little time for expansive hockey: it was direct and well-contested.

Jersey hit a post early on, but Panthers then forced a series of short corners without success.

Five minutes before the break, an RWB attack was initially repelled by a fine Collette Pennington save, but RWB full-back Evans nipped in to divert the ball somehow through a crowd and in.

Still Panthers pressed, again with no luck from short corners. One Chantelle de la Mare effort scraped the outside of a post, another was saved and as two attackers left the ball to each other with the goal gaping, an RWB scrambled it away.

Even after the final whistle there was one last chance from a short corner.

RWB stood firm and the title was theirs.