It is Quarter-Finals Week in the EH Tier 1 Cup, and one of the biggest ties takes place at the Chellaram Sports Ground, as Clifton College’s First XI Girls side hosts Brighton College!
The Game will be live-streamed on the NextGenLive YouTube Channel with centre pass scheduled for 3:30 pm!
Clifton’s long history of success on the field of Hockey could continue this Thursday with a spot in the cup semi-finals, to take place on finals day in Lea Valley in a few weeks’ time, on the line. Having already produced fine players like the Great British legend Lily Owsley in recent years, the blue and white will be hopeful that the current crop can create a legacy for themselves.
Olly Keenan’s side have a great record this season, losing just twice across 17 full fixtures. They have already made one semi-final this season, reaching the ISHC Semi’s, narrowly missing out on penalties to eventual winners Epsom after a thrilling 2-2 draw. Epsom themselves are in the quarters of the EH Tier 1 cup this week, as they take on Oakham. Clifton avenged this defeat with a 3-0 win in the 3/4th place playoff over Ipswich School, so they can already claim to be one of the top sides in the nation coming into this massive game. They have picked up some sizeable victories this season as well, putting 5 past Taunton, 9 past Stowe and 8 past Rugby in some of their best results of the campaign. Their defensive record is also stellar, conceding just 15 this season, less than a goal a game. Keenan, with his close ties to local club the Clifton Robinsons, as U18 Girls coach, has created a close-knit side that will fancy their chances on home soil.
Brighton College make the trip west with a similarly excellent record. They have lost just 3 times this season, including a 2-1 defeat in the quarters of the ISHC cup to Epsom, who also saw off Thursday’s opponents. An accolade that Brighton holds that Clifton does not, however, is a 5-2 win over Epsom earlier in the season. They have conceded a few more and scored a few less than Clifton throughout the season, but the margins are narrow, and one would expect a close-fought contest on Thursday.
