Farnham Roller Hockey Club’s under-15s arrived at their penultimate tournament sitting joint-second in the South Eastern Counties Rink Hockey Association league.

Their first match was against league leaders Invicta. Coach Isaac Waller set out clear instructions and Farnham followed them superbly, surprising Invicta by opening up a 3-0 lead – including one goal scored during a blue card while down to three players.

Invicta’s star player was tightly marked from the start, but the leaders adapted and fought back to go 4-3 ahead just before half-time.

The second half brought another blue card, and Invicta took advantage with a strong scoring spell, adding more intensity to their performance. Invicta eventually stretched the scoreline, but Farnham never stopped battling.

The game finished 7-3, but the composed performance, excellent start and resilience through multiple blue card moments gave Farnham plenty of positives to take from the match.

Farnham’s second match, against Maidstone, brought a completely different challenge.

Maidstone defended relentlessly, marked tightly and made space hard to find. It took patience to break through, but once the first goal arrived, Farnham settled into their rhythm.

Annabel, Felix, Jonas, Marley and Alba found ways to convert under pressure, keeping the scoreboard moving.

The match finished 7-2 to Farnham, and was played in an excellent spirit against a sporting Maidstone side, who were impressive despite not having a rink to train on.

George made his under-15s debut for Farnham at the tournament and slotted in seamlessly, creating chances and coming close to scoring three times.

The under-15s remain joint-second in the league. The winners are confirmed, with Invicta taking the under-15 league title, but second place is still up for grabs. The tournament at Farnham Leisure Centre on Sunday, March 8, will decide that spot and a place at the national finals.

This weekend will be a busy weekend for Farnham Roller Hockey Club. A beginners’ tournament takes place at Guildford Spectrum on Saturday, January 24, while the under-13s have a home tournament at Farnham Leisure Centre on Sunday, January 25.