Middlesbrough Roller Hockey Club will meet Peterborough in the final of this year’s national under 20’s cup competition. A depleted Boro squad made the long trip south to Soham (Cambridgeshire) to face Bury St. Edmunds on their home rink in this year’s second semi final.

The first half produced chances for both sides which the respective goalkeepers were equal to, then Boro were awarded a direct which was taken by Sam Kay and well saved by Dan Hunt in the Bury goal. With 3 minutes left of the first half Gary Todd the Boro keeper made an excellent save and Billy Stevenson picked up the rebound, powered up the rink and drove a shot at the Bury goal which the keeper parried to Beth Cook who skilfully volleyed home. Although both teams had plenty of chances Boro’s slender 1 – 0 half time lead was a reflection of how well both goalkeepers had played.

Boro started the second half on the offensive with shots from Will Smith and Billy Stevenson before Bury hit Boro on the break with a well taken goal from Liam Conroy to level the score. Boro continued to maintain possession and press the Bury goal which eventually lead to a penalty to Boro. Up stepped Boro Captain Owen Stewart to despatch the ball into the Bury net off the underside of the bar giving the keeper no chance and making the score Boro 2 Bury 1. Within a minute Bury were back on level terms when a shot on the Boro goal was deflected by Sam Kay passed the stranded Gary Todd and into his own goal. The crowd hardly had time to draw breath before Boro were back in front when a clever through ball from Sam Kay was smartly controlled and flicked into the roof of the net by Owen Stewart.

Although Boro were beginning to take more control of the game Gary Todd was still called on to make a string of brilliant saves in the Boro Goal. With 5 minutes left on the clock Owen Stewart outstripped the Bury rearguard down the right before cutting in and drilling the ball in the far corner for his hat trick. Boro 4 Bury 2.

The goal celebrations had hardly subsided when Bury reduced the arrears with a long range effort which somehow creped in. In a tense final few minutes the game swayed from one end to another and with seconds remaining Bury kept the tie alive with a good finish from Kieran Brady. As the whistle went for the end of normal time and with the score at 4 – 4 it was Bury who looked to be in the ascendency. GOLDEN GOAL would now be played which is a maximum of 5 minutes each way of extra time with the first team to score being the winners.

With both teams going for it and with 3 minutes gone another slap shot was fizzed in by Owen Stewart which the keeper did well to block but once again Beth Cook was the quickest to react and calmly tuck the ball in for the winner which was the signal for the celebrations to start. Skipper Owen Stewart said “We knew that coming here and winning was going to be difficult but as always we worked hard for each other and everyone turned in a good performance especially Gary (Todd). We still have a few things to work on before the final and no one in this team wants to come home with a loser’s medal”.