The Heads of the Valleys Hotshots Skater Hockey Club entered into a Tournament at Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre organised by Pontypool Skater Hockey Club in aid of the Ty Hafen Children’s Hospice in Wales Charity on the weekend of 20^th and 21^st October 2001.

There were 3 age groups…Pee Wee (under 12), Youth (under 15) and Junior (under 18), and the Hotshots were in all of them.

The Pee Wee Team

Elizabeth Baker Net minder

Owen Price Net minder

David Robinson Captain

Rhys Lewis Assistant Captain

Alex Trotman

Sarah Rodgers

Stewart Rickwood

Rachel Grovell

Luciano Casa

Matthew Day

Jamie Lewis

HOV Hotshots Pee Wees 5

Bridgend Dynamos 0

The first period saw the Hotshots get themselves organised and warm up fairly gently.

The first goal fell to Sarah Rodgers from a pass from Alex Trotman. The 2^nd goal of the half came after Stewart Rickwood had done all the hard work, breaking out of defence, and setting up Trotman.

The 2^nd half saw the Hotshots step up a gear, with Rodgers making it 3-0, and then Trotman netting number 4.

The Blaenau Gwent outfits final goal of the game came after Rickwood had again made all the running before passing the ball out to fellow defender and Captain for the day, David Robinson, who made it 5 without reply.

HOV Hotshots Pee Wees 6

Pontypool 2

The Pontypool side took an early and shock lead in this encounter, but the scores were soon equal after Rodgers set up Trotman.

Number 2 came off a Trotman pass to Matthew Day, who hit a screamer past the Pontypool net minder.

Trotman also set up number 3, when he laid the ball off to Rodgers.

Rachel Grovell made it 4-1, but with seconds left on the clock in the first period, Pontypool made it 4-2.

The 2^nd half was a much tighter affair, but it was the Valleys side that scored the goals, with Trotman netting twice as the game came to a close.

That result saw the Hotshots youngsters face the old enemy, Howardian, in the final.

HOV Hotshots Pee Wees 0

Howardian 7

The Cardiff side dominated for the whole game, hence the score line.

The Hotshots Pee Wees ended the day a creditable second in the Tournament.

The Youth Team

Owen Price Net minder

Elizabeth Baker Net minder

Greg Symonds Captain

James Trotman Assistant Captain

Peter Rodgers

Thomas Heard

Robert Baker

Alex Symonds

Joseph Heard

Daniel Symonds

Robert Jones

Berwyn Roderick

Rachel Grovell

HOV Hotshots Youth 1

Cardiff Capitals 4

The Hotshots under 15’s found themselves 3 goals adrift early in this encounter, and despite a goal from Greg Symonds, were always second best.

HOV Hotshots Youth 4

Howardian 3

This was a much faster game than the first, with both sides playing exciting hockey.

The Cardiff side took the lead, but Robert Baker made it 1-1 with a great strike.

The second goal fell to James Trotman after Baker had made the pass, but early in the 2^nd half, the Howardians pulled a goal back to square things.

The then went 3-2 up, but Symonds had other ideas as he hit 2 without reply to secure the victory.

This result meant the Hotshots were to face Pontypool in a playoff for 3^rd/4^th place.

HOV Hotshots youth 3

Pontypool 1

The Hotshots clinched 3^rd place in the tournament with a great display.

The only goals of the 1^st half fell to Symonds, with Trotman making it 2-0 early in the 2^nd.

The Pontypool side pulled a goal back, but Trotman made it 3-1 when Symonds laid the ball off to him, and he hit a scorching shot from inside his own half.

The juniors played on the Sunday, and had 4 games.

The juniors

Jason O’Neill Net minder

Leanne Emms Net minder

Phil Rodgers Captain

Gareth Emms Assistant Captain

Gareth Liddington

Michael Haile

Jason Rickwood

James Trotman

Robert Baker

Nick Rogers

David Griffiths

HOV Hotshots Juniors 2

Pontypool 1

The Pontypool outfit took the lead, but this exciting game squared up after Nick Rogers put the ball in the goal, albeit off the net minder.

The scores remained tied until late in the 2^nd half, when the Hotshots were awarded a free hit, which resulted in Jason Rickwood scoring the winner.

HOV Hotshots Juniors 7

Forest Flyers 2

The Forest of dean side took a shock lead in this encounter, and capitalised on that goal to make it 2-0 with only a few minutes gone in the match.

The Blaenau Gwent side have experience, however, and soon started to control the game with slick passing and fast skating.

Michael Haile pulled a goal back with a tremendous slaps hot, before Gareth Emms got in on the act, hitting the equaliser, and then making it 3-2 off a Gareth Liddington assist.

Emms hit his hat trick at the start of the 2^nd half, with Haile netting his 2^nd and the Blaenau Gwent sides 5^th soon after.

James Trotman set up Nick Rogers for the 6^th, with Robert Baker netting the 7^th off a Phil Rodgers pass.

HOV Hotshots Juniors 5

Bridgend 1

The Hotshots dominated from the face off, with some great team play leading to the goals.

Gareth Liddington hit the 1^st, with Rodgers making it 2-0.

Jason Rickwood hit the 3^rd, with Liddington setting up Haile for the 4^th.

Bridgend got a late consolation goal, but Nick Rogers made it 5-1 at the final whistle.

HOV Hotshots Juniors 4

Penarth 3

The Hotshots had to win their last game to win the tournament, and at one point looked like throwing it all away as they conceded some late goals.

James Trotman hit the first goal with a trademark slaps hot with Liddington setting up Haile for the 2^nd.

Penarth pulled a goal back, but inspirational captain Phil Rodgers made it 3-1, before Haile made it 4!

2 late goals from Penarth gave the Hotshots a scare, but they held on to win a great tournament held in aid of a very worthy cause.