HAMILTON Hawks posed for the County Gazette camera ahead of their Seward Cup tie against Old Inn, 10 years ago this week.
The Hawks had suffered their first defeat of the season the week before, but they bounced back to secure progress in the cup with a 4-2 victory.
Wayne Cook, Andy Lawton, Andy Clark and and Rob Chambers all netted for them, but Old Inn did have the consolation of scoring the goal of the game - Phil Hollingsworth smashing the ball into the top corner from 25 yards out.
Martin Priddle got Inn’s other goal.
Pictured above, from left to right, are: back row - Wayne Cook, Graham Fitt, Josh Parker, John Paul Jenkins, George Lee, Richard Tutill; front row - Mat Bawden, Andy Lawton, Mark Thomas, Rob Chambers, Andy Clark, Michael Clarke, Simon Ware.
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IN a week that Taunton Tigers progressed to the quarter-finals of the National Play-offs, the next generation of basketball talent was lining up for the camera.
Pictured above, the Taunton Tigers Under-15 squad from March 2006 (from left to right): back row - Gary Carter (head coach), Joe Randall, Scott Speed, George Williams, Pip Anderson, Steven Salter, Harry Elliot, Tom Kennedy, Francis Scarborough (team manager); front row - Gareth Bradley, George Freeman, Sean Clifford, Ed Surtees, George Scarborough, Ross Bradley.
As for the Tigers senior side, they secured an incredible 72-70 win over London Eastside Eagles, to reach the last eight of the national competition.
It was obvious right from the start that it was going to be a battle of contrasting styles, as the Tigers tried to force their high tempo game against an experienced and smart London team intent on slowing the game down.
Taunton’s management rotated all 12 players in the first half to ensure that they could maintain their pressure defence and fast break game plan, and it was all to play for going into the second half, with Eagles leading 35-34.
The Tigers players, fresh from the frequent rotation, were able to maintain their relentless pace and Paul Yabsley started to become the dominant force in the game.
When veteran centre Dave Bullock gave Taunton a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter, it looked like they might canter home, but Eastside were not giving up and they levelled at 70-70.
The Tigers had one last chance to win it with mere seconds remaining, and Joe Andrews stepped up, with a breathtaking shot that coupled balance and power, and the home team duly squeezed over the finish line.
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A LAST-GASP goal gave Taunton Vale Hockey Club’s ladies 3rd XI a 1-0 home win, this week in 1991.
Up against Camerton, it was Jill Paull who stepped up late on to get the vital goal for Vale in the dying minutes.
Pictured above, the Vale team (from left to right): back row - Jill Nelson, Sharron Kington, Vicky Chedzoy, Jo Hiett, Leeanne Glynn, Helen Acreman, Sarah Allsop; front row - Jane Williams, Ruth Weeks, Kate Chedzoy, Catherine Lawrence, Jill Paull, Geraldine Coleman.
It was a good week for the 1st XI, too, as they moved one win away from promotion to the Sun Life West Premier Division.
They travelled to Newquay for their latest Area Division South match, and swept into a two-goal lead thanks to Lynda Staddon’s brace, only for the hosts to come storming back.
Visiting goalkeeper Cindy Harris saved a penalty stroke as Vale escaped with a 2-1 victory.
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