Chopsticks help to end Puffins' long wait for title

IT WAS a historic weekend for Ship & Crown Puffins.

Having come so close to a hockey league victory last season, they managed to secure the title with two games to play - by beating the team who pipped them to the post last year.

AP Group Panthers turned out with 10 players, but included established island players both past and present.

Despite having Guernsey attackers Greta Raath and Georgia Smith in their line-up, Panthers only managed one shot on target in the game.

Puffins made the one-player advantage tell from the start and were frustrated in the first 10 minutes with a string of saves from Collette Brown.

The front line continued to plug away and proved to be too much for the Panthers defence.

Puffins won 7-0 with goals from Debbie Wilson (two), Tracey Powell (two), Claire Smit, Helen Bailey and Mickey de Vial.

When Panthers did attack, they were ably dealt with by Michelle Body, Laura Breban and Pippa Inderwick. The latter was not even born the last time Puffins lifted the trophy nearly 20 years ago.