Beeston call for Euro hockey places for English cup winners

By Richard Bright

Beeston chiefs believe that a European place being offered for top tier domestic cup winners would make the Championships “the best, most exciting and most well supported competition in England.”

Beeston completed an England Hockey Championship T1 double for the first time at the weekend as the men overcame Fareham 9-1, following up the women’s victory over Clifton Robinsons the previous week.

Beeston Chairman and men’s first team manager, Graham Griffiths, said: “It’s remarkable that both our men’s and ladies teams are leading the way when it comes to the cup.

“I’m in no doubt that the cup has still not lost its magic and Fareham put on an exemplary display of competitiveness and good sportsmanship. I believe that if the prize for a cup win was a place in the Euro Hockey League, it would be the best, most exciting and most well supported competition in England.”

The England Hockey Championships held at Nottingham Hockey Centre was the first top level competitive matches to be played following the pandemic.

Midlands hockey enjoyed several successes with Uni of Nottingham and Repton winning tiered finals.

Sam Apoola was in brilliant form for @OfficialBeeHC earlier today, bagging 4⃣ goals on their way to Men's T1 victory 👏👏 #EHChamps pic.twitter.com/ctr9SEhgms

— England Hockey (@EnglandHockey) September 12, 2020

In the T1 final, Sam Apoola scored four times and Gareth Griffiths bagged a hat-trick as Beeston cantered to domestic success.

They led 4-1 at half-time with captain Adam Dixon opening the scoring before Apoola, Griffiths and Lucas Alcalde found the target.

Fareham gave themselves hope just before the break through Alex Boxall before Beeston kept up the scoring.

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