Mount House boys' hockey teams scored two good wins against strong teams from St Peter's School, Lympstone. The first seven had a competitive match, with the two sides effectively cancelling each other out in a goalless first half. In the second period Mount House found another gear, and two fine goals from Freddie Jayarajah and Ollie Sale were enough to clinch a victory against this strong hockey playing school. Ralph Lawson and Elliot Woodhead for Mount House worked tirelessly to gain possession and gave shape to the team, while in defence, Tommy Lyon- Smith showed outstanding awareness and control. The wingmen Jonty Parsons, Alex Woolcock and Max Taylor kept up a constant supply of ball into the D, and at the other end, Mount House goalkeeper George Lundy maintained excellent concentration to make crucial saves when tested. This good team performance resulted in a 5-0 victory to Mount House, with goals from Woodhead (2), Woolcock, Parsons and Lawson. l Hockey honours were even between Mount House and Exeter. The two boys' hockey matches against Exeter Cathedral School were both closely contested, and resulted in a win and a defeat for Mount House. The first seven match saw Mount House open the scoring with a fine shot from Ollie Sale. Exeter soon equalised and the game continued to see-saw. Ollie Sale put Mount House ahead with another good goal, which was in turn cancelled out. In the end Exeter managed to slot in their winner after a period of sustained pressure. Notable Mount House performances came from Alex Zervudachi, who was influential in both attack and defence, Ollie Sale with two goals and James Mann for pulling off some fine saves. The Mount House second seven posted their best performance to date with Ralph Lawson and Elliot Woodhead working tirelessly in midfield and marshalling the game very effectively. Improved stick work and shape on the field contributed to this fine win by the only goal of the match. The Colts A team enjoyed a positive day at the Sherborne tournament where they fought hard against some very good sides, which was particularly encouraging as four of the Mount House seven were a year under age. Although the results – one draw and three defeats – were disappointing, all the defeats were by a single goal, and the quality of the performances gives cause for optimism for the future.
