Sunbury Hockey Club men’s first XI have reached the finals of the England Hockey Vase.

This is the first time that the club have reached this stage of the vase competition having previously only reached the quarter finals.

To reach the finals, Sunbury defeated Witney 3-0.

The game got off to a fractious and altogether nervous start, both sides having previously only met once in the league.

Witney opened the stronger of the two sides applying significant pressure to the defence of Miles Smurthwaite, Richard Corry, Shane Haughton and Chris Burnett.

The defence stood firm however, working well to clear the lines and soak up the early pressure.

Darryl Hannick being forced to make vital saves as well to keep the Witney forwards at bay.

Sunbury failed to put Witney on the back foot in the first half but the midfield of Dave Hancke, Mike Nicol, Alex Campbell and Mark Stacpoole started to click and started to probe the few gaps in a solid Witney Defence.

The forward partnership of Eoin Haughton and Glen D’sa while highly mobile did not apply significant pressure on the Witney goal.

At half time changes were made with Stacpoole moving to the forwards and D’sa dropping in to the midfield.

Minutes in to the second half Sunbury looked a different team.

They challenged the Witney Midfield and started to exert significant pressure and asking questions of the Witney defence.

This pressure was duly rewarded with a short corner which saw Stacpoole strike the ball cleanly through the Witney defence and in to the back of the goal.

This served only to awaken Witney once more who immediately responded to being a goal down with a swift counterattack that resulted in a strike hitting the post and Sunbury survived with Mark Carroll clearing the ball to relieve the pressure.

Substitute Mark Carroll now started to dominate the left hand side of the pitch with some solid tackling winning the ball cleanly and disrupting the Witney Midfield alongside Hancke and D’sa.

Shane Haughton out on the right continued to prove a threat to Witney with both pace and strength.

Sunbury againrealisedthe fruits of extended pressure and were awarded a second short corner.

Coach Gareth McKeown called for Captain Nicol to go tight on the right hand post and in a move straight off the training pitch the ball was fired just outside of the right hand post where Nicol waited and deftly turned the ball in to the goal.

Sunbury moved 2-0. By now Witney were tiring in the oppressive heat but they never gave up and continued to press.

By now Sunbury were playing with confidence and Stacpoole set up a trademark burst through the Witney defence to be brought down by the keeper and win a third short corner.

Again the team rallied for what could be the winning moment.

The ball came out and was deftly pushed in to the bottom corner by D’sa and Sunbury celebrated.

Substitute Doug Robertson was brought on to see the game out.

Sunbury now go on to face Gainsborough Rose Hockey club in the final to be held on April 25 at Old Loughton Hockey club.