Hope and promise for Hedgehogs and Porcupines

Blackheath Under-12 girls selected their younger players - the Porcupines and the Hedgehogs - in a tournament against Burnt Ash, BromBecks and Sevenoaks on Sunday and had mixed results.
The Porcupines fielding largely the same side that won three out of three at Burnt Ash last week were drawn in Pool A against Sevenoaks Hurricanes and BromBecks, while the Hedgehogs - making their competitive debut - were up against Burnt Ash and Sevenoaks Tornados - the stonger of the two Sevenoaks' sides.
It was a case of double defeat for both sides in their opening matches. Ellie Kinch was magnificent in goal for the Porcupines against BromBecks, with Katie Lawrence and Amelia Couper also battling hard in defence, but the resistance couldn't last and a late goal gave the visitors a slender 1-0 win. In Pool B, the Tornados lived up to their name and blew the Hedgehogs apart 7-0.
But improvement was just round the corner. Against Burnt Ash, the Hedgehogs looked a different side. Georgia Redfern, Tamsin Atkins began to get into the game more. And Louisa Morris in goal and Katie Brown were looking solid at the back. However, luck was not on their side. Grace Grabham stuck her stick out only to deflect in past her own goalkeeper. It was the only goal.
Meanwhile on pitch one the Porcupines were up against Hurricanes. And this time it was Blackheath's turn to blow their Sevenoaks opponents away. Naomi Goundry scored twice and Nell Williams added one more as the hosts triumphed 3-0.
With BromBecks edging out the Hurricanes 2-0 in their final game in Pool A, and the Tornados thumping Burnt Ash 6-0 in the last game in Pool B, it meant the Hedgehogs would face Hurricanes in the 5th/6th play-off, while the Porcupines would take on Burnt Ash to determine who would finish third.
The Hedgehogs battled gallantly, but it was to prove just a little beyond them and they lost our narrowly 1-0.
On the other pitch, the Porcupines were utterly dominant and the early pressure paid off, when Isla Thomas jinked through the Burnt Ash defence and her shot ricocheted in off a couple of opposition sticks. However, just when it seemed the floodgates would open, Burnt Ash countered and leveled. But their was no need to panic Ria Bennett-Lee surged forward to restore the hosts' lead, before Nell added a late third to seal the win and claim third spot.
With neither side in the final, the two Blackheath teams took the opportunity to play each other. Lois Khanna, Maddie Atkins and Isabel Wallace played well for the Hedgehogs, but it was the Porcupines who would prevail 2-0. And Analivia Elkins will remember her goal for a long time, while the spectators will certainly remember her celebration too. Naomi added the second.
In the final Sevenoaks Tornados edged out BromBecks 1-0.