HOCKEY: English Hockey Association Boys Cup - final

Winchester Under-18s weathered a first half storm to beat Norwich 5-2 and seal a place in the English Hockey Association's Boys Cup final on May 10, writes Mike Vimpany.

Ben Hibbard and Simon King scored two goals each as Winchester set up a cup final showdown with either Beeston or Leek at the Old Loughtonians ground, Chigwell, in Essex.

The final will be played at the Old Loughtonians club in Essex at 5pm on Saturday 10 May. A bus will be run; enquiries to Nigel King at the Winchester Hockey Club.

The margin of Winchester's semi-final victory was flattering - but there's no doubt the city youngsters deserved their success after being under the cosh for the opening half-hour.

The tie was turned on its head with a double Winchester strike either side of half-time, after which there would only be one winner.

Norwich had asked all the questions, pinning Winchester in their own territory for long periods of the first-half, forcing numerous short corners.

But they were frequently denied by the agility of Peter Symonds' College goalkeeper Greg Hitchens, who pulled off a string of fine saves.

It was his heroics which eventually settled a Winchester side, whose early play bordered on frantic and was distinctly ragged and untidy.

Winchester managed only spasmodic raids into the Canaries' half - but minutes before half-time they snatched only their third penalty corner of the game - Norwich had forced 12 - and capitalised.

Norwich's largely untroubled goalkeeper Tom Hedgewood beat out Greg Cox's drag-flick and Hibbard pounced to drill Winchester into a surprise interval lead.

Two minutes into the second-half, the Norwich defence was prised open again - Chris Walters racing 50 yards down the right flank to set up Simon King for Winchester's second.

Winchester were now in control with their senior players calling the tune in key positions.

When Hibbard seized upon a mid-hit clearance to score a third, a place in the final was all but secure. Hitchens foiled Norwich again before Walters - no mean cricketer and footballer at Winchester College - added a fourth.

Cox got himself sin-binned before the skillful Ed Fox, arguably the East Anglians' best player, clawed two goals back for Norwich.

But, back to full numerical strength, Winchester added a fifth before the final whistle, with Charlie Swann surging forward to set up Simon King to complete the scoring.

l Winchester face Southampton at King's School on Friday for a place in the Hampshire Under 18 Cup final against Havant at HMS Temeraire on Monday.