After beating off tough competition from colleges in the East region, East Norfolk Sixth Form College's, men's and women's hockey teams each played the semi-final of the British Colleges Cup against Cardinal Newman College from Preston, at home.

After beating off tough competition from colleges in the East region, East Norfolk Sixth Form College's, men's and women's hockey teams each played the semi-final of the British Colleges Cup against Cardinal Newman College from Preston, at home.

The men went down 3-0 but the women won 3-2 to make it to the national final against Richard Huish College from Taunton.

The men's game was first. It was a tense first half with Cardinal Newman going 3-0 up.

In the second half, East Norfolk's man-of-the-match, keeper Owen Shuttleworth, kept the Newman attack out with some acrobatic saves, while the home forwards created opportunities including an unlucky miss from John Matthews, a disallowed goal from Andy Devereux and hitting the post twice.

The girls' match was no less intense. East Norfolk were dominant from the very beginning and swift passing and confident play led to an early goal from Ellice Thompson. With strong direction from player-of the-match Jess Ollington and support on the wings from Emily Piper and Hanna Shea, there was constant pressure on the visitors' defence. Half-time was called with East Norfolk leading 2-0 after an Ollington strike from a short corner.

Second half Cardinal Newman got a goal back. Lucy Clews, Jess Woodrow and Annabelle Williams played assertively, driving the ball forward to allow Emily Piper to deflect the ball in off the left post to make the score 3-1.

Cardinal Newman scrambled second goal made it

3-2, but fantastic defence from Hannah Nunn, Jo Lockwood, and Alice Ramsden prevented any strikes on goal. Abi Creak played another blinder and goalkeeper Lauren Halliwell made no hesitation in taking the ball out early.

The girls now progress to the national finals at Banbury in Oxfordshire against the top side from the south west.

Bromley 0, East Norfolk 1

EAST Norfolk Sixth Form College men's football team travelled to Bromley in London for this Colleges' National semi-final.

Adam Sewell scored the only goal of a very tight game to put the local college into the national final to be played at Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium.

Sewell and Popham were controlling the midfield and the back four of Andersen, Gardiner, Watts and Gunton not allowing the tricky Bromley forwards space.

Midway through the half man-of-the-match Anderson put a superb left-foot cross central high to the far post, beating the very tall goalkeeper, finding the energetic Sewell who headed in.

The second half saw Betts hit a post and a Crowe shot drifted past the far post. At the other end Hemp brought off two very good saves, including the stop of the game when he dived and touched the ball around a post. Andersen put in a very strong tackle just as the Bromley striker shaped to shoot. It was 'backs to the wall' stuff, but East Norfolk just about deserved the win thanks to their superior first-half display.