Pocklington School's under-14 hockey team truly are a force to be reckoned with and will be hoping to show that strength when they tackle the rest of the best at the north of England finals, writes Claire Hughes.

The team, who have already blazed through the local and county rounds of the National Schools' championship, qualified for the northern finals at the North-East round at Sunderland.

They won their first match against Durham representatives Barnard Castle 1-0 after a Katie Atkinson goal.

Wakefield Girls High School offered a tougher prospect in match two and Pocklington battled well with 'keeper Millie Rae saving a penalty flick, but they lost 1-0.

To qualify for the Northern finals they had to beat Cleveland side Red House, who won the other group.

The best hockey played by Pocklington all year saw them through with a 3-0 win underlined by strikes from Atkinson and two from Abbie Brant.

They will now play on the Manchester pitch used in the Commonwealth Games on December 6 for a place at the national finals.

Updated: 11:09 Wednesday, November 23, 2005