Bancroft's School Under-18 Girls Hockey team have been crowned champions of Essex for the first time and will now compete in the Regional Round next month.

The girls travelled to Redbridge Sports Centre and performed consistently throughout the group stages, beating local rival Forest 2-1 and Chelmsford County High School 1-0, but lost 1-0 to Coopers' Coborn.

Felsted stood between Bancroft's and a place in the final, but goals from Anabel Smith and Ella Day capped off a stylish win for Bancroft's, also setting up a final tussle with Coopers' Coburn.

The final ended 2-2, meaning the trophy was shared and both teams now progress to the Regional Round play-offs in November.

Bancroft’s coach Jo Fryer-Green, who has worked at the Woodford School for 19 years, said: "This is a group of girls who have showed promise for some time. They are extremely committed and demand a lot of themselves.

"They deserved the victory at the County rounds and we now have our sights set on going even further in the competition."

The girls travel to UEA in Norwich on 4th November for the Regional round.