Guernsey teams up for university challenge
GUERNSEY HOCKEY are putting on their own ‘University Challenge’ on bank holiday Monday.
In what is set to be a pair of highly-competitive and top-quality games, the Island men’s and women’s first-team squads will take on teams comprising of Guernsey students who have returned home for the Christmas holidays.
One look at the university squads assembled gives an indication of the task at hand for Andy Good’s and Bex Hubbard’s sides as they come up against a good number of players who would usually be pencilled into their own Island teams.
The male students include half-a-dozen or so who have already featured for the full Guernsey men’s team in recent times and the same goes for their female counterparts.
‘It is a really good advert for Guernsey hockey that we can field 30-odd players of that quality,’ said Good, looking ahead to the men’s match.
‘If those guys were living on the island full-time, the selection headache would be a really nice one to have. Easily half-a-dozen of those students, probably more, would be pushing for a place in the Island squad.
‘Dougal [Perfitt] has managed to get a really good side together, but the students should also be under no illusions – we have a very strong side too.
‘We are going to try out a few things and there are a few new players coming in including Jacob Gomes and Jake Swaisland, who have impressed for Elizabeth College in the First Division, but essentially we will continue to be the Guernsey side who attack with pace, are solid in defence and have a very competitive midfield.
‘It is going to be an exciting day and we’re really looking forward to it,’ Good added.
Monday’s double-header, which is being supported by Rocq Capital, starts with the women’s game at 11.30am with the men’s game at 1.30pm.
University Squads
Men: Dougal Perfitt (captain), Morgan Clayton (GK), Nairn Guilbert, Ross Guilbert, Lewis Perfitt, Anthony Stokes, Jack Smart, Andrew Oxburgh, Will Thompson, Hugo Thompson, Tom Cashin, Charlie Reeves, Jonty Carnachan, Rory Chamberlain, Max Sharpe.
Women: Katherine Bushell (captain), Jenny Thomas, Ruby Swaisland, Emily Savident, Rosa Bonner-Morgan, Carys Bromley (GK), Amy Sharpe, Robyn Palfrey, Katie Halliday, Megan Sharpe, Millie Garnett, Ellie Regnard, Sara Marley, Elise Bott, Vicky Mann, Molly Paul.
