Unbeaten Rebels raise the roof

IN-LINE HOCKEY

OLDHAM-based Inline hockey club, the Rebels, clinched their first major trophy with victory in the GBHI B Nationals, held at Lutterworth in Leicester.

The Rebels were undefeated in the tournament, winning all seven of their games, including a 6-1 demolition of Rotherham Rhinos in the final.

Rebels are managed and coached by Andrew Duxbury and Tim Liptrot, and they went into the competition quietly confident after a good league season.

After overcoming a 2-0 deficit in the first game to beat Newport Knights 4-2 and recording a tough 6-4 victory against Glossopdale Devils in their second clash, Rebels ended the opening day with an emphatic 11-2 success over Wrexham Rockets.

Day two got under way in a similar vein with a 4-1 victory over Trafford Tigers.

They then faced a tough quarter-final against Midlands Stars, but emerged with a 4-2 win.

Trafford Tigers were the Rebels’ opponents in the last four and they dug deep to register a 2-1 triumph.

The Rebels then went onto complete a 100-per-cent weekend with a decisive victory over Rhinos in the final.

Duxbury said: “Our play was excellent and to win the final in the manner and style that we did says a lot about the players we have here.

“Hopefully this will be the first of many trophies.”

The Rebels train every Thursday between 7pm and 8pm at Oldham Sports Centre.