The finals of the Norfolk Schools and Clubs Hockey Championship were held at Gresham's School in Holt, which saw the hosts increase their titles tally.

The finals of the Norfolk Schools and Clubs Hockey Championship were held at Gresham's School in Holt, which saw the hosts increase their titles tally.

The National Schools Championships, sponsored by the MAN group, has normally been a two-school affair between Norwich School and Gresham's but this year they were joined by newly-emerging Wymondham College. Norwich City were the only club to join in the combined tournament.

At U14 level Wymondham held Gresham's well for long periods of the game but Gresham's made more of their chances and won 3-0.

The U15 match was a straight final between Gresham's and Norwich with the former shading it by the only goal.

The Norwich School U15 side also played as their U16 side but they were totally outplayed by Gresham's who won 7-1 in the U16 decider.

The major game of the day was the U18 final between Gresham's and Norwich School.

The teams had drawn 1-1 just one week previously and tensions rose as the start time approached.

Gresham's shocked Norwich by going into a 3-0 lead at half-time.

Norwich upped their game in the second half and their more fluent attacking moves bore fruit as they scored one goal and then gained a penalty stroke with three minutes to go, from which they scored.

Gresham's held on to secure the title they have held for the last six years.

Norwich City provided valiant opposition at U14, U16 and U18 in this tournament but were beaten into third place.

The club did well to field so many teams considering first choice of a lot of players had been taken by the

other schools.

So four titles out of four for Gresham's this year.

They will play in the East quarter-finals against Stamford School (U14), the Leys School, Cambridge (U16) and Saffron Walden HS (U18) and hope to progress to the East finals from where they can qualify for the National Championships.