Ross Junior Mixed Badger Hockey Team entertained Wotton-under-Edge in their latest fixture at Monmouth Boys Sports Club, early on Saturday morning, and edged another victory to wrap things up before the Christmas break.

Despite the rain and general melancholy nature of the weather, which is something that the team has generally become used to, there was nothing lugubrious about the way either team played.

Ross’ narrow, nerve-wracking win over Wotton was not for faint hearts and fans of fluffy toys. This was pitiless, bruising stuff, engrossing and exciting, thunderous and thrilling.

It was a match that dragged you to the edge of your seat, made you wince with empathetic pain and left you wondering which way it would go right until the final five minutes.

On the final whistle, as the realisation sunk in, no-one in a black shirt cared about their battered and bruised bodies. After a record-breaking eighth successive win, the Ross players could live with their wounds.

Things looked so different after just 15 minutes when Ross found themselves 3-0 down and for all intents and purposes out of contention. But it is the spirit of this team, that not one player dropped their head or entertained the thought of defeat.

Coach Pete Jenkins however, wasn’t surprised, stating: “The way they train on Monday evenings, the way they prepare for each match, I always felt they had another gear in them.”

This is a team who entered the Gloucestershire Hockey Badgers Circle for the first time back in September and, having played all the teams at least once, remain undefeated.

Now at the half way point, they must try and keep the momentum moving forward into the New Year. There can be no doubt that all the opposition teams will have learnt something from these encounters and will double their efforts to try and be the one to knock Ross off their pedestal on their return fixture.

Captain for the day, Joseph Henry decided that the award for South Hereford Motorcaravans player of the week should go to the entire team, for the way they never lost their belief in ultimate victory.

The next match will be held on January 16th, when Ross play away against local rivals Newent, with a very early 9.30am start at the Community School.