Stockport Men’s and Women’s teams came away celebrating from the weekend’s Northern Flags Festival as they claimed both Senior Flags wins on Sunday with convincing wins to be crowned champions of the prestigious finals.
In the Men’s Final, Stockport saved their best lacrosse of the season to spring a surprise on pre-match favourites Heaton Mersey to secure a commanding 16-8 win for their first Senior Flags since 2013.
Mersey had got the better of Stockport so far throughout the season, with two close league victories culminating in them pipping Stockport to the league title.
But it was Stockport’s two leading attacking threats who made the difference on the day - Hugo Peel and Ethan Caldwell racking up 10 goals between them as constant threats that Mersey were unable to lock off.
Both players were involved from the off, Peel feeding Dave Groves to open the scoring before Caldwell doubled the advantage with a strong drive from X.
Josh Turner pulled one back for Mersey with a long range long pole goal, but it didn’t fluster Stockport as Peel and Mike Pomfret put their side 4-1 up at the 1/4 time.
Mersey started Q2 the brighter, Josh Kinder and Ming Trinh closing the gap to one, however Peel and Caldwell were on hand to drive Stockport on.
Caldwell’s quick turn of pace, tricky footwork and deadly range in finding corners added another two for his side before Peel got a second, and despite Henry Smith scoring for Mersey, he found his team trailing 7-4 at the half.
Caldwell continued to star, getting the first score after the break, and Mersey were in trouble at four goals down.
But for a team with such quality, the expected charge soon came; Ben Jackson and Kinder closing the gap to two before Kinder added another from a pinpoint Ryan Hunns feed to make it 8-7.
But just as it looked as though the tide was turning, Peel and Caldwell stepped up once again to restore Stockport’s advantage.
First Peel by himself on his left hand, then Caldwell adding another soon after, expertly taking a pass from Peel and finishing past the goalie.
A goal for Tom Gosnay was then followed either side of the 3/4 time by a double for Ryan Sweetman, blitzing his defender both times through a mix of strength and speed to get in on goal to make it 12-7 and effectively end the contest.
Hunns was able to end Stockport’s five-goal run, but it did little to halt the overall momentum and they instead added three more to put the icing on the cake - Groves with another and Peel capping off his starring role with the two final goals for a huge 16-8 victory.
Stockport 16-8 Heaton Mersey (4-1; 7-4; 12-7; 16-8)
Stockport: Hugo Peel (5G, 3A), Ethan Caldwell (5G), Mike Pomfret (1G, 3A), Dave Groves (2G), Ryan Sweetman (2G), Tom Gosnay (1G), Nick Bunbury (1A), Dan Eckersall (1A)
Heaton Mersey: Josh Kinder (3G), Ryan Hunns (1G, 1A), Ming Trinh (1G, 1A), Josh Turner (1G), Henry Smith (1G), Ben Jackson (1G), Andy Ellison (1A)
In the Women’s Final, Stockport were able to show composure and stamina to fight back from an early deficit and overcome Mellor 14-8.
Mellor were extremely lively early on and jumped out to a quick lead to put Stockport under pressure at both ends of the field.
Harley Tideswell was particularly impressive in attack with incisive finishing , while Olivia Haskell-Downs repelled a number of early Stockport attacks in goal.
And when Haskell-Downs set Tideswell free from an excellent long clear it put her side 4-1 ahead, with the Mellor attacker scoring all four.
Stockport regrouped and slowly worked their way back into the game, goals from Holly Deacon, Olivia Higson and a double from Karma Kabbani put them into the lead before Hayley Bowker tied it again at 5-5.
It was then the turn of Stockport’s goalie Katie Billings to see off a number of Mellor chances before Higson sprinted away on a solo fast break to give her side the advantage at half-time.
After a very even first half, it was then Stockport’s England international Chloe Chan who blew the game wide open in the third quarter.
Stepping into a more midfield role, Chan scored three goals in the third quarter including two from the free position mark, as well as assisting one for Deacon as a 5-0 streak all but secured her side the match.
More goals at the beginning of the 4th from Chan again, and Emily Woodhead took Stockport as far as eight goals ahead, but credit to Mellor in that they never let their effort levels drop, scoring three of the last four goals of the game.
Sarah Hiddleston and Lizzie Moyes got their names on the scoresheet, while Tideswell took her tally to a game leading five goals - meanwhile England U20 international Charlie Bell scored Stockport’s final goal to take her points tally for the day to four (2G, 2A) with the game closing out at 14-8.
Stockport 14-8 Mellor (1-3; 6-5; 11-5; 14-8)
Stockport: Chloe Chan (4G, 1A), Charlie Bell (2G, 2A), Holly Deacon (3G), Karma Kabbani (2G), Olivia Higson (2G), Emily Woodhead (1G, 1A)
Mellor: Harley Tideswell (5G), Hayley Bowker (1G), Sarah Hiddleston (1G), Lizzie Moyes (1G), Lucy Mayer (1A), Olivia Haskell-Downs (1A)
Full Northern Flags Festival Results:
Sat 27 April
U12 Boys Plate - Brooklands 12-8 Cheadle Hulme
U13 Girls Cup - Heaton Mersey 12-15 Stockport
U14 Centurion Cup - Mellor 12- 7 Cheadle/Boardman&Eccles
U18 Girls Cup - Brooklands Gold 12-15 Timperley
Nigel Wayne Trophy - Wilmslow A 14-5 Cheadle C
Women’s Junior Flags - Heaton Mersey 18-15 Sheffield
U16 Boys Plate - Timperley 9-8 Stockport (OT)
Men’s Junior Flags - Cheadle A 4-7 Timperley
Sun 28 April
U14 Boys Plate - Poynton 8-2 Timperley
U16 JSN Cup - Cheadle 14-5 Heaton Mersey
U15 Girls Cup - Norbury 3-24 Heaton Mersey
David Beesley Cup - Cheadle B 8-10 Timperley A
Women’s Senior Flags - Mellor 8-14 Stockport
U12 Onondaga Cup - Mellor 12-8 Timperley
Men’s Senior Flags - Stockport 16-8 Heaton Mersey