Kings’ School's Under 14 boys’ hockey team have won the inaugural England Hockey Tier 1 State School’s cup in Nottingham; the school’s first ever national team games sports title.

Having won all three matches on their recent school Netherlands hockey tour, the team were in great form but came up against some formidable opposition in Nottingham. In a seven-a-side format, with matches lasting 15 minutes, they won their group courtesy of a 3-0 win over Northampton School for boys, a 0-0 draw with Cranbrook school, Kent, and a 6-0 win against King Edward VI, Stratford Upon Avon school, where Kings’ really found their stride.

The team progressed to the Tier 1 Cup semi-final where they faced Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, who were the winners of group A. Kings’ started the match at a ferocious pace and took the lead almost immediately. They played with passion, precision and purpose, finishing their chances superbly to secure an emphatic 4-1 win.

And so onto the final where they played The Ecclesbourne School, Derbyshire. This was an excellent advert for the sport with two schools perfectly matched with hardly a hair’s breadth between them. Kings’ weathered the initial pressure heaped on them very well, saving strongly, defending resolutely and then enjoying some possession and control themselves. And it was in this period that they went ahead after a determined drive along the baseline of the circle by outstanding captain Matthew Richman, who then finished from an acute angle. Kings’ controlled the game for the proceeding minutes and soon went 2-0 up when UK Lions U14 player Tom Nolan broke free, evaded a number of tackles and finished powerfully from the top of the circle.

Ecclesbourne were wounded but responded superbly from the push back, finishing with a rasping first-time volley past goalkeeper of the tournament Oliver Corrie from a precision-perfect aerial pass. The final minutes of the game were understandably tense but the tireless Rory Jack closed down and sewed up the midfield, the rock-like Greg Williams swept everything in his path at centre back and Lawrence Champion at left wing back and Philip Moinier at right wing back offered superb outlets. But even then the game had a nail-biting finish with Ecclesbourne being awarded a penalty corner on the full time whistle and sending their entire team up. Kings’ School has come so close in national finals in various sports over the last few decades, so there was an air of inevitability in this moment: But seven brave lions of Kings’ school said “not this time”, held their nerve and cleared the ball to safety, sparking wild celebrations amongst the 13 squad members who knew they had just made history as the winners of the inaugural England Hockey Tier 1 State School’s Cup and the first Kings’ team games national champions. Both Mr Birch, Head of PE and Mr Osborne, Head of Games, agreed that they were “so, so proud of every member of the team, who had seized this opportunity and made history”.

Although the tournament format was 7-a-side, all 13 boys who travelled to Nottingham had pitch time and contributed. The win was a testament to their hard work and commitment and was made all the better for their outstanding sporting behaviour and conduct which was commented on by numerous people throughout the day.

The Kings’ U14 England Hockey State School’s Tier 1 winning squad was: Oliver Corrie, Phillip Moinier, Freddie Langford, Greg Williams (vc), Zac Phipps, Tom Nolan, Matthew Richman (c), Rory Jack, Oscar Robertson, Harry White, Oli White, Lawrence Champion, Edward Oates.