Champions received international aid before claiming a seventh straight Brummitt mixed hockey title

​The perennial champions always turn up with a strong squad full of male and female National League players, but this season a couple of international stars were also included.

And they needed them as well. A high-class final was lit up by two goals from teenage South African Michael Royden-Turner as Camp Retro beat a tough Jurassic Beavers side 3-2.

Royden-Turner is tipped to play for South Africa in the 2024 Paris Olympics where among his opponents could be Ireland’s Nick Page, another top-class performer who graced the Brummitt with the all-star champions.

The Beavers were also bolstered by several National League players – three of them from top-flight Beeston – which made sure Retro were pushed harder than usual before completing an expected victory.

Royden-Turner opened the scoring with a shot through the legs of an onrushing ‘keeper and it was 2-0 before the break when Cameron Heald fired a reverse stick bullet into the corner. The scorers are teammates at Premier Division Oxted where they play alongside Page.

But the large crowd delivered their biggest roar when Ben Collinson pulled a goal back for Beavers with a fierce strike, only for Royden-Turner to deliver a dazzling piece of individual skill for 3-1.

Beavers refused to lie down though and a quite brilliant finish from veteran local man Gary Hales from a Ben Newman pass set up an exciting finale before the champions could celebrate their annual win.

Camp Retro also extended their remarkable run of unbeaten success to seven years. They’ve failed to just one win game in that time, a draw in 2018!

The Plate Final was won 3-0 by the Ragamuffins B team who saw off St Neots HC 3-0. Julian Catto scored twice with Joe Phillips also on target, while there was an outstanding display from Karen Drake.

Sons of Pitches won the Jack Rouse Fair Play Trophy at a competition that has been running since 1958. Sixteen teams took part this year.

Bretton Beavers hold the record for most wins with 11, two of which were shared.