Guernsey sides pass tests set by students

They might not have long to wait before the challenge is laid down again, though, as the students look for some revenge following a terrific double-header at Footes Lane.

After the Guernsey Ladies had made their experience count with a 7-2 win over their young counterparts in the opening game of a very well-supported event dubbed the ‘Guernsey Hockey University Challenge’, the Island men’s team eventually came through 3-0 victors in a high-class contest that emphasised the amazing production line of talent here.

‘It just shows you the strength of the sport on the island really, that all those guys are Guernseymen and could be playing here,’ said Guernsey men’s coach Andy Good.

‘In the future they might and if they do, that would be great.

‘We’re very pleased to win a hard-fought game. It was very competitive, but I would not have expected anything less, to be honest.

‘They [the students] have been quite vocal about their excitement going into the game, so it was really competitive, exactly what we needed,’ added Good after two goals from Steve Eulenkamp and one from Josh Kendal sealed victory.

Dougal Perfitt, captain of the University Student’s Men’s XI and co-ordinator of both sides, was delighted with the day as a whole, if not the final result.

‘The whole day has been brilliant – unlucky on the weather side of things but in terms of the crowd it did not affect it too much actually and we were lucky with the moisture on the pitch we could really ping it around,’ he said.

‘We want to make this an annual game. There’s always going to be really good hockey talent coming through who go to university, so we can put this on hopefully every year, if not more than once.

‘We want to try and get another game next week. Whether that happens or not is down to availability. I think we want to do it probably more than Guernsey do,’ he added chuckling, eyeing revenge.

‘It was great having so many people down here on a bank holiday Monday. I know everyone here loves watching some good hockey, which it was.

‘The girls definitely enjoyed their game, too. Plenty of people down here for it and it was high-scoring, which is always good.’