EG Women Secure 2024 Super 6s Title

On Sunday January 28th, EG Women travelled to Derby with the aim of securing their fourth Indoor title to add to those won in 2016, 2019 and 2022.  Click through for more... 

EG's Senior Women's side had a substantially new look to it going into the Super6s for 2024.  With the GB team preparing for their qualifiers in Valencia, and several regulars taking a break from hockey there was an opportunity for a new group to take up the challenge.  Picking up the Captain's armband, Chloe Brown brought the leadership, while returning visiting player - Litiana Field - helped provide a solid platform at the back.  Litiana last played for EG Indoor in the 2022 competition which EG Women won in a nail-biting final against Repton.

East Grinstead were also boosted by Emma Allroggen, our second visiting player, joining from University of Birmingham.

England Hockey chose to relocate Indoor Finals from Copper Box Arena to Derby for the first time.  In fact the competition has taken place in many places across the country, but for recent memory Wembley and Copper Box have been the dominant locations.  Derby presents a more central location for the fans and supporters.

Competing for East Grinstead at Derby were:

Issa Field (GK), Lauren Roberts (GK), Charlotte Watkins, Amy Thompson, Summer Knight-Thompson, Biba Mills, Emma Allroggen, Anna Faulstich, Chloe Brown (c), Litiana Field, Anna Moore and Lauren Workman.

Photos from the event have been uploaded to our gallery here:

https://www.eghockey.co.uk/our-club/club-gallery/event/20240128WomensIndoor

EG's first game was the Semi-Final against Slough.  One of Indoor Hockey's most prestigious clubs, this turned out to be as tense as expected with EG running out 3:2 winners.  EG's goals were scored by Biba Mills, Anna Faulstich and Chloe Brown.  Although EG were ahead throughout the game, Slough's second half performance saw them claw back two goals and get agonisingly close to taking the match to shuffles.  Slough were awarded two green cards and EG three greens during the game, but the 3:2 result took the team through to the final.

EG's discipline in the final was flawless with no cards.  That said, Surbiton went ahead in the 5th minute when former EG stalwart Ruth Gordon put the ball in the EG goal.  The advantage lasted less than 60 seconds however, as Lauren Workman equalised with a powerful shot from the edge of the circle.  Lauren was an EG Junior not long ago and is pictured below (wearing the Fly Emirates top) watching the EG Men secure an indoor title at Wembley in 2012.  Fabulous to see her - 12 years later having graduated from Loughborough - play a key role in the competition this year.

Amy Thompson added to Lauren's goal with a fierce corner drag flick and at the start of the second quarter, Anna Faulstich was impeded.  Captain Chloe Brown handed the penalty stroke responsibility to young Biba Mills who obliged with a powerful flick into the corner.

Both sides played a game of cat and mouse in Q3 with no goals, but in the fourth quarter as Surbiton pushed to get back in the game, EG were able to add three goals; Chloe Brown from a corner, Biba Mills from a tight angle with Surbiton's keeper having been withdrawn and Amy Thompson with a final flourish to secure the title with a 6:1 scoreline.

Congratulations to coaching team of Theo Dowse, Ross Stott and Ben Barden as well as Manager Barney Furlong.  The result makes EG Women the first side since Reading in 2012 to hold both the Outdoor and Indoor titles concurrently.