Ely & Chesterton United Under-17s lift the NRHA National Cup and Eastern Counties Cup

Ely & Chesterton United have been celebrating the double success of one of its youth sides.

Having clinched the NRHA National Cup in late May, the club’s Under-17 female team followed that up at the start of July by wrapping up the Eastern Counties Cup.

Up against a side with players from Soham and King’s Lynn Rink Hockey Clubs in the final of the National Cup, Ely & Chesterton triumphed by an 8-4 margin.

Gemma Cannizzo – the only holdover player from last year’s double-winning squad – captained the team to glory once again and she was also an influential figure in the subsequent Eastern Counties Cup triumph.

Ely & Chesterton trailed 4–2 to King’s Lynn with just five minutes left, but an inspired performance from 11-year-old goalkeeper Eva Beresford kept the scoreboard within reach. Sophie Eaton then struck twice to level, and with just 60 seconds on the clock, the skipper fired in for a 5-4 win.

Cannizzo said: “Even when we were down, we never panicked. We held possession, created chance after chance and finally made it count. Scoring that winner was pure joy.”

This week, Cannizzo, Eaton and Erin Edwards will be representing England at the Under-17 European Championships in France.