STOCKPORT WIN TED DONNET TROPHY, BROOKLANDS WIN GEOFF GARTSIDE MEMORIAL TROPHY

By Neil Goulding (English Lacrosse Press Officer, 07813 859986)

STOCKPORT Under-19s were crowned the new Ted Donnet Trophy champions yesterday (Sunday) with victory over Timperley in this season's showcase final at Brooklands Hulmeians Lacrosse Club.

The Beech Road club teenagers won their club's first honours of the new season with a slender 1-0 victory over Timperley, a result achieved with a golden goal in the extra-time.Having finished third after the round-robin stages, Stockport edged Heaton Mersey, their local rivals, 1-0 in the semi-finals. Timperley beat Sheffield Steelers 1-0 in their semi-final match.

'It's great we've won the title, but the way we won it was especially pleasing,' Dave Doolan, the Stockport manager, said.'We worked well as a team. We lost 3-1 to Heaton Mersey in the group stages, but from then on we took control.

'That defeat was our turning point, the lads got their act together.'

Stockport, Under-19 title treble-winners, were coached by first team players Sam Patterson, Tom Gosnay and Joe Singleton. Doolan added: 'We've got a good mixture of established players and some promising young blood.

'We've always got an eye on other competitions, it would be great if we could win another treble.'But for now, winning the Ted Donnet is a good start to the season. It's a good start for the club.'

And while there was success Stockport, there was also joy for Brooklands Hulmeians, this year's hosts, as they beat Boardman and Eccles in the Geoff Gartside Memorial Plate final.

Hulmeians were eventual 5-4 winners, but that triumph also came with an extra-time golden goal having been deadlocked 4-4 at the final whistle.

A 2-1 win over Manchester Waconians secured Hulmeians' passage into the final, while Boardman edged Mellor by the same scoreline.

A total of nine teams competed in this year's tournament, with the notable exception of Cheadle and Wilmslow, both of whom failed to field teams.

Boardman's team also included players from Oldham and Rochdale.

Pictures to follow....

RESULTS, Sunday 12th October

MEN's Northern Under-19s Ted Donnet Trophy (Brooklands Lacrosse Club, Georges Road) - Final: Stockport 1 Timperley 0 (golden goal winner in extra-time). Semi-finals: Heaton Mersey 0 Stockport 1, Sheffield Steelers 0 Timperley 1.

Geoff Gartside Memorial Plate - Final: Brooklands Hulmeians 5 Boardman and Eccles 4 (4-4 at full-time, Brooklands won by golden goal in extra-time). Semi finals: Brooklands Hulmeians 2 Manchester Waconians 1, Boardman and Eccles 2 Mellor 1.

Final round-robin group standings: 1. Heaton Mersey, 2. Sheffield Steelers, 3. Stockport, 4. Timperley, 5. Brooklands Hulmeians, 6. Mellor, 7. Boardman and Eccles (some players from Oldham and Rochdale), 8. Manchester Waconians, 9. Poynton.

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