On Sunday Eliza played for East Grinstead women at the Copper Box on the Olympic Park for the National Super 6s competition final in front of thousands of supporters (including a number of Eliza’s team mates from Cranleigh) and came out with a Gold medal as East Grinstead beat Repton in the final.
In the starting line-up of six Eliza was paired upfront with Sophie Bray, one of the very best GB forwards of the last 50 years with OC Amy Thompson right behind them in midfield. Between them they caused the Slough defence a number of problems at the start of the first semi-final. East Grinstead got a couple of goals up in the first quarter and had added a third by halftime. A goal in each of the third and fourth quarters gave them a dominant 5-0 victory over an experienced Slough team.
With Repton at their first National Indoor Finals beating Buckingham 4-2 in a much closer contest in the other semi, the final was set for the top two teams in the League in which East Grinstead had pipped Repton 3-2.
Repton scored early on but East Grinstead replied almost straight away. Another goal from East Grinstead gave them a 2-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. This increased to 3-1 by halftime. Although they missed a penalty stroke to increase the lead further, a fourth goal followed and everything looked like it was winding down for a well-earned comfortable win with Amy controlling midfield for which she won Player of the Match. But Repton took off their goalkeeper and played with six outfield players and the pressure mounted. Repton pulled one back with 4 minutes to go and another just a minute later. Then with just 0.1 seconds on the clock they got a short corner. It was saved but hit a defender’s foot so another short corner well into overtime. Another save by the keeper and the ball flew wide for East Grinstead to be crowned National Champions…and for Eliza to get her gold medal.
