Thank you to all of the Club 1541 members who returned to Archdeacon Meadow to take part in the Boys' Hockey match against King's for the Freeman Cup. It was the finale in a super day of sport for the school following the House Swimming Gala and then a Netball Showcase against Crypt School at the University of Gloucestershire. It was a fitting end to a great day of sport!

Head of Boys' Hockey, Lee Robson, has written this match report:

In what turned out to be a thrilling and action-packed fixture, the King's 1st XI staged a memorable comeback to defeat a strong Club 1541 side 5-3 and lift the Freeman Cup, in a match that had the crowd gripped from the first whistle to the final play.

The tone was set early as Club 1541 took the lead through a well-worked attacking move, with Ollie Clayton and Willoughby Cooke combining brilliantly before Cooke calmly finished. The response from King's was immediate and clinical, a lightning-fast counterattack saw Kwabena O-A slide in at the far post to level the scores.

After the break, Club 1541 regarined the advantage as Ollie Calyton found himself in the right spot to finish from close range. at the interval, King's made a tactical shift, switching to a man-to-man press designed to wear down the opposition, a change that paid dividends almost immediately. Oli B's work along the byline unlocked the Club 1541 defense, setting up Elijah M to equalise with a calm finish. The momentum had clearly shifted. Soon after, Angus K smashed home a penalty corner to give the hosts the lead for the first time. With the home side now in full flow, Charlie S, continuing to build a reputation for his poacher's instinct, extended the lead further with a smart finish in the circle.

Refusing to go quietly, Club 1541 clawed one back when their captain Jamie Baker expertly dispatched a penalty stroke into the top left corner, bringing it back to 4-3 and setting up a tense final few minutes.

However, it was King's who had the final say. With five minutes remaining, they earned a penalty corner, executed perfectly with a slick flip-flick routine that saw Oli B roof the ball under the crossbar, sealing the win in emphatic style.

It was a fantastic game, played in a great spirit, full of quality goals, tactical adjustments, and individual brilliance, a true showcase of the school and former students that kept spectators thoroughly entertained. 

Club 1541 team:

Gabriel R (GK), Will Story, Billy Bedwell, Ollie Clayton, James Hall, George Iles, Willoughby Cooke, Jamie Baker (captain), Seb Barley, James Hutchins, James Wallis, Fin Davies, Sami Dunkley

View the best pictures from the match here: